


Linked in Life and Love - Act II: Fights, Plights...

by l_OmegaInfinity_l



Series: Linked in Life and Love - Full Story [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Mating Bond, Polyamory, Romance, Surprise Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-01 23:33:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 81,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17253452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/l_OmegaInfinity_l/pseuds/l_OmegaInfinity_l
Summary: Act II of Linked in Life and LoveThe girls may have solidified their relationship, but the world around them is still turning.  The White Fang are on the move and Roman Torchwick is at large.  Team RWBY make their plans to find him and put a stop to the White Fang.  But now... things are a little different.  How does the girls' new bond change how events play out?Or...We dive headfirst into Volume 2... and the RWBY canon gets derailed beyond repair.





	1. A New Day

**Author's Note:**

> Betaed by Ril_Locke [(Covert Weapon)](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/926755/Covert-Weapon)
> 
> [LiLaL'S TV Tropes Page](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/LinkedInLifeAndLove)
> 
> [Cross-posted on FF.net](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11689623/24/Linked-in-Life-and-Love)

 

 

Blake groaned. She blinked sleepily, turning her head to get away from the evil sunlight glaring down at her. She buried her head into her pillow, breathing in the scent of roses and sugar.

_...wait. Since when does my pillow smell like…?_

Blake opened her eyes, squinting against the harsh glare coming from the window. Throwing up a hand to block the light, she lifted her head from her pillow, looking closely at what she'd been cuddling against. A smile spread across her lips.

At some point in the night, Ruby had rolled over to face Blake. Her head was tucked into Blake's neck, her arms brought up against her chest. The leader let out a small sound of discontent at the loss of Blake's warmth, shifting closer to the Faunus in her sleep.

Blake laughed softly, wrapping her arm back over the smaller girl. She put her head back on top of Ruby's, the leader letting out a happy sigh as she did so.

"Blake?"

The Faunus blinked at the soft whisper. She looked over Ruby's head towards the other bodies laying in her bed. She smiled softly at the sight.

Yang had her arms wrapped protectively around Weiss' chest, one of the blonde's hands pressing against the heiress' stomach. Somehow, she'd intertwined their legs, Yang's right leg wrapped around Weiss' left. A soft snore passed her lips, proving the brawler to still be asleep, a peaceful expression on her face.

Instead, Blake focused on Weiss' face, her grin widening at her reddening face as blue eyes met amber. "Comfortable, Weiss?"

Weiss glared pitifully, her blush darkening a shade. "Very funny." Despite her words, she lifted one of her hands away from her chest, laying it over the one Yang had on her stomach. A small smile formed on her lips. "I've felt worse," she admitted.

"Mm-hmm," Blake hummed, giggling a little. Her smiled lessened a bit as a thought hit her. "Seriously though, do you feel okay?"

Weiss frowned at her, looking confused. Then, to Blake's surprise, she smiled softly. "Blake, have you checked the Link yet?"

Blake's brow lowered, confused herself. "No… why?"

In response, Weiss moved her hand from Yang's, reaching across to the arm Blake had draped over Ruby. She gripped Blake's hand, intertwining their fingers. With an encouraging smile, she said. "Check it."

Still confused, Blake did as she was told. She took one last look into Weiss' crystal blue eyes, then closed her own. She gave her Aura the tiniest push outward-

Her breath left her.

"Oh… oh, wow…"

It was so… clear. It was still a black void, nothing to see save the Auras around her, but… the Auras had… changed. There were no more formless clouds of Aura where each of her Mates were. Now, the Auras had taken shape.  _Human_  shape.

Laying across from her were two wispy bodies, one a muted yellow, the other shining white. She could clearly see where Yang's arms wrapped around Weiss, the dull yellow separated from the white by a near non-existent space. Very faint trails of Aura came from their heads, vaguely forming the shape of their hair.

Most shocking were the eyes. Not literal eyes, of course, but on the head of Weiss' Aura were two spots of crystal blue, looking right at her. They suddenly shrunk and disappeared for a fraction of a second, before reappearing.

 _She blinked,_  Blake realized.

But, no matter how amazing it looked, all that came secondary to what she  _felt_.

She didn't have to focus anymore. Just a quick look, a single glance at their Aura, and Blake could feel exactly what they were feeling. Even in their sleep, Yang and Ruby both felt happy, content, with random flashes of other positive emotions spiking as they dreamed. And Weiss… happy, content, amazed, awed, proud.

Blake's eyes slowly slid open. She met Weiss' gaze smiling.

Weiss smiled back, before letting out a soft sigh. "So.. what now?"

Blake frowned slightly, giving Weiss' hand a squeeze. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing, it's just…" Weiss sighed again. "How is this going to work? All four of us, romantically involved? Do we try to keep it a secret, or… just be open about it?"

Blake sucked in a slow breath. She knew this question was coming, but she didn't have any idea how to answer it. "Do you want to keep it a secret, Weiss?" She finally asked, hesitantly.

Weiss bit her lip nervously. "I… I don't know. I… I want to be happy about this. I  _am_  happy about this," she clarified, chiding herself. "I don't want to keep this a secret, but…"

"But…?" Blake questioned.

Weiss swallowed. Her eyes briefly left Blake's as she moved her free hand, placing it over the one Yang had pressed against her stomach. After a moment, she said. "There's no way for me to say it without sounding… vain."

Blake chuckled briefly at the reminder, then let out a small huff. "I'm just worried that… what will everyone think of this? Of us?" When she saw the brief flash of surprise on Blake's face, she quickly clarified. "I'm not ashamed of what we've done! Being Mated feels… amazing. Being this close to you all… knowing what you feel, both for me and for each other… I've never been this…  _open_  with anyone before." A wide grin had spread over her face as she spoke. "It's an amazing feeling, something beautiful." Her face quickly fell. "I'm just worried that… other people won't see it that way."

Blake hummed in thought. She wanted to say something to make Weiss feel better, to ease her worries, but nothing came to mind.

"Forget 'em."

Blake and Weiss started at the sudden voice, their hands slipping apart. They both looked up as Yang inhaled deeply, her lavender eyes sleepily fluttering open. A lazy grin spread over her face. "Morning," she murmured.

Weiss craned her neck to try and look at Yang's face. "Did we wake you, Yang? Sorry."

Yang gave a soft laugh, silencing Weiss by squeezing her gently around the waist. She rested her chin on top of Weiss' head. "S'okay. There's worse ways to wake up. Anyways, like I said, if people want to see what they want to see, screw 'em. We know what's going on."

Weiss huffed in annoyance even as she pressed her back closer to Yang's chest. "I wish it were that simple, Yang. When… certain people… find out that we're Mates…"

Yang snorted. "By 'certain people', I'm going to take a wild guess and say you mean your dad, right?"

Weiss stiffened in Yang's arms. After a tense moment, she sighed, melancholy rolling off of her in waves. "Yes. Any one part of our relationship he would take issue with. Me being with a girl, being with a Faunus, being with more than one person; all of it together… he might  _actually_  disown me."

Blake's eyes widened. "It wouldn't be  _that_  bad… would it?"

Weiss shook her head minutely. "When my sister joined the Atlassian military, rather than work for the company, he cut her off from the family fortune. That was years ago."

Yang winced. "Ouch." Then she blinked, looking down at the top of Weiss' head. "Wait a sec… you have a sister?"

Weiss lifted her head, meeting Yang's confused stare with her own. "You didn't know that?"

Yang shook her head. "No. Why would I? You haven't said much about your family… though, now that I think about it, I haven't really asked before. My bad." She shrugged her shoulders sheepishly.

Weiss frowned. "My family is the most well-known in the Kingdoms. Our pictures are everywhere. I assumed you knew about them already.

Yang chuckled. "Small town girl from the little island of Patch here, Snowflake. We didn't get much news about the outside world there, and even when we did, I didn't pay much attention to it. Heck, Ruby and I didn't even know who  _you_  were until we came here to Beacon. Speaking of which-" Yang lifted her arm and put it on Ruby's shoulder, shaking her little sister. "Hey, Rubes, wake up, important talk going on here."

Blake glared at the blonde in reprimand, feeling Ruby squirm a little in her arms. "Yang, let her sleep if she wants."

Ruby suddenly let out a large yawn, nuzzling against Blake's chest. The Faunus blushed deeply at the action, warmth filling her chest.

Yang's eyes narrowed. "Ruby…"

The little leader let out a small groan. "Too early…" She muttered, pressing closer to the blushing girl holding her.

Yang rolled her eyes. "You can snuggle later, Ruby. We're talking about something important right now."

Ruby huffed, a small whine escaping her. She pulled back a bit from Blake, blinking at the Faunus. She smiled at her, before turning over in Blake's arms, facing Yang and Weiss. Her cheeks puffed up in annoyance. "What are we talking about?" she asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Whether or not we want to hide the fact that we're Mates now."

That got Ruby's attention, the small teen fully awake as she lifted her head slightly. "Hide it? Why?"

Yang chuckled a little. "Well, I guess we know your answer. And honestly, I agree. Blake, Weiss?"

Weiss grunted a bit as she shifted, Yang giving her a little more room to move. "I… I'd like not to. I'm just worried about how other people will react. And not just my father, Yang," she added quickly when she felt the blonde's exasperation spike. "Faunus might not find it strange, but… everyone else…"

Blake nodded, understanding. "Same-sex relationships are one thing, but a group relationship? Humans that don't know about Faunus mating will probably find it… odd, to say the least."

Ruby shrugged. "I'm fine with that."

Yang nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Besides, we're Huntresses. It's not like someone could tell us what to do."

"And if someone asks us about our relationship?" Weiss asked, equal parts hesitant and curious.

Now Yang shrugged. "We explain it to them. They don't like it, oh well."

Weiss huffed out a laugh, smiling faintly. "That simple, huh?"

Yang nodded, giving Weiss a squeeze. "It's only as hard as you make it, Snowflake. So we get some funny looks, a couple morons run their mouths. We'll deal with it as it comes."

Weiss just hummed in response. Blake smiled at the interaction, before looking between Yang and Ruby. "So… you two really have no problem being public about being Mates?"

Ruby shook her head. "Nope."

Yang did the same. "Not a bit. Heck, I'll scream it from the rooftops if you want. I think Nora has a megaphone I could borrow- Ow!"

Weiss reached up and smacked the side of Yang's head the second the blonde actually started sounding serious. "Don't even think about it. Either of you," she added when she saw Ruby's mouth open.

Ruby stuck out her tongue at the reprimand. "You're no fun."

Surprisingly, Weiss responded by blowing a small raspberry at the sniper, getting a shocked giggle out of Yang and Blake. The heiress then turned her blue eyes upwards. "What about you, Blake? You said most Faunus show their Marks off as something to be proud of, right?"

Blake stiffened at Weiss' question, all humor bleeding out of her. She unconsciously pulled Ruby closer to her, making the younger girl look up at her, questioning. "Blake?"

The three humans suddenly felt a barrage of emotion from their Faunus counterpart.  _Worry. Sadness. Curiosity. Frustration. Hope. Indecision._

"You're right," she murmured, not looking at any of them. "Faunus are proud of their Marks. I'd love to show mine off, especially with how impossible it was for me to have gotten it. But…" Her ears wilted against her head, almost in shame.

A new feeling came off Blake, one that made Yang and Weiss frown in concern, not recognizing it. Ruby did, though. She might not have ever felt it as she was now, but she recognized the tone of Blake's voice. Blake had hit a point where she was uncomfortable to keep speaking. Had it just been the two of them, Ruby would have given Blake a reassuring smile and moved away from the subject, but Yang and Weiss made it clear that they were waiting for an answer.

Ruby glanced around the room, trying to think of something to take the attention off of Blake. She got it when her eyes landed on the wall clock.

And suddenly, helping Blake became a secondary worry.

"Hey, guys?" Ruby asked hesitantly. When all three of her Mates looked to her, she asked, "It's Friday, right?"

Yang blinked, confused by the sudden question. "Yeah. Why?"

"Don't we have classes at eight?"

Now they blinked. Rolling over, Yang looked behind her at the clock, Weiss doing the same. Blake looked over them to see the time as well.

**7:16**

It took less than a second for them all to realize.

"Crap, we overslept!"

Yang released Weiss, scrambling out of the bed and running to her dresser. Weiss was right behind her, frantically looking through the closet for a clean outfit.

Ruby moved to follow them, but before she pulled herself out of Blake's arms, she turned her head to face the Faunus. Blake gave her a thankful smile, hugging her briefly. Ruby smiled back, then leaped out of bed and started hunting for her cloak.

Blake slowly brought herself to sit on the edge of her bed, watching her Mates ( _Yes,_ she thought to herself,  _they're actually my Mates_ ) run around the room, trying to get ready for the day. Blake decided to let them all finish first, since it wouldn't take her that long to get ready. She kept all her things nice and organized so she could be ready at a moment's notice. Socks, stockings, and underwear in the dresser's top shelf, skirt in the drawer below it, right next to her jacket, and sitting on her bedside table…

A cold feeling started in Blake's stomach. Her eyes drifted to the side, lingering at the long stretch of fabric. Slowly, she reached over, pulling it into her hands. She held it, staring down in thought.

A simple black bow. That's all it took to fool every human at Beacon, the headmaster notwithstanding. The other Faunus knew what she was, there was no fooling their sense of smell, but none of them seemed to care…

 _Well…_  she thought grimly,  _None of them have said anything… until now._

Kojak's words echoed through her head.

Blake shook her head, willing the thought away. This had nothing to do with Kojak. The thought that other Faunus looked down at her for her choice hurt… but they were allowed to think what they wanted. Blake couldn't change that. She'd made what she'd felt was the right choice at the time, and despite her doubts, she stood by her decision.

Except… now things had changed.

Keeping the bow clenched in her left hand, Blake put her right hand on the space where her shoulder and neck met, fingertips running over her Mark.

The fact that it existed at all was a miracle. To her knowledge, no Faunus had attempted what they had. A human, not just one, but three humans, combining their Aura through a dead Mark from a failed Mating? She couldn't believe it worked. It  _shouldn't_ have worked. What they had done went against everything she'd read, everything she'd known about Mating. And yet, there it was, their four symbols combined on her skin, each one connected to each other in a blaze of color. It encapsulated their bond perfectly.

And Blake wanted people to see it. She could feel it, that bursting sense of pride as she looked at her own Mark. She wanted people to know it, to know that she'd found someone who loved her. Not just someone, three wonderful, beautiful girls who had filled a void in her soul she had not even realized was there. Like any Faunus, Blake wanted to bare her Mark proudly.

There was just one problem. And she was currently holding it in her hand.

For Ruby, Yang, and Weiss, it wasn't that big a deal. The three were born human, so them showing off their Marks or hiding them wouldn't be that outstanding (well, maybe for Weiss, but no Faunus had taken issue with her having an initial Mark, one rude bear notwithstanding).

But for Blake… she'd put herself into a corner. A cat-eared Faunus would show her Mark with pride. A bow-wearing human would not. The humans in the school might not be able to tell, but the Faunus…

 _What do I do?_  she thought worriedly, panic starting to seep in.  _If I show my Mark, but hide my ears, what kind of message does that send? That I'll take the good of being a Faunus, but hide from the bad? I could cover my Mark, but… Dust, no, that would make it seem like I'm ashamed of it! But what else could I do?!_

The answer popped into her head an instant later. It was simple, terrifyingly so:

Don't wear the bow.

Blake could  _feel_  the anxiety build in her chest. Not wear her bow… her every instinct screamed "wrong!" at just the thought. She  _needed_  her bow. It was the only thing that kept her from being looked down on by every human out there. With it, she was normal…

...normal. Blake frowned at the word. Normal… what exactly was normal? By human standards,  _normal_  was only having two ears and no tail.  _Normal_  was only loving one other person.

Without meaning to, Blake's hand clenched around her bow, squeezing it in her fist. The instant she realized what she did, she opened her hand, staring down at the wrinkled fabric, feeling lost.

"Blake? Hey, you okay?"

Yang's voice startled Blake out of her thoughts. She looked up at the blonde in surprise, finding a worried expression on her face. Ruby was looking at her from across the room, pausing as she tried to stuff all of her textbooks into her bag, frowning slightly. Weiss was in the process of putting her hair into her side-ponytail, sending troubled glances Blake's way as she did. All three had finished dressing, clad in their identical Beacon uniforms, making Blake wonder just how long she'd been sitting there thinking.

Blake opened her mouth, then immediately shut it, swallowing down her instant attempt at reassurance. She couldn't lie to them, not anymore. Becoming Mates with them ensured that, the three now able to know when something was troubling her. That thought alone added a whole new layer of worry. There was a lot of things she'd yet to tell her Mates… and a few that she'd told them wrong. She had to remedy that soon, it was only right.

But first…

"I'm… thinking."

Yang sat down beside her, draping an arm across her shoulder. "Obviously," she said, the barest hint of humor in her voice. Blake's lip twitched, granting a grin from the blonde. "What about?"

Blake stared into the blonde's eyes, then panned across to meet Ruby and Weiss'. All three looked back at her, wanting to listen. Wanting to help.

Blake bit her lip. She stared down at her hands, at what they held. After a moment's thought, she asked them.

"Should I stop wearing my bow?"

Surprise and shock spiked across the room, Ruby actually dropping her book bag as her mouth fell open. Weiss' head jerked back as her eyes widened. Yang's mouth hung open for a few seconds, before she snapped it shut with an audible clack. "What brought this on?" she eventually asked, concern in her voice.

Blake let out a sigh. "I want to show off my Mark." When she received no form of surprise, just a soft urging to go on, she continued. "I'd like people to know that we're Mates. The problem is…" She trailed off, unsure how to phrase her words.

"Yes…?" Weiss urged, curious and concerned.

Blake huffed. "The problem is that… I've been hiding what I am for so long. If I showed my Mark, but still hid that I'm a Faunus… what would people think of that?"

Yang suddenly frowned, her agitation getting all of their attention. "Wait, this isn't about that Kojak guy, is it? Blake, you shouldn't let him get to you like this."

Blake shook her head, letting out a groan. "No, it's not just him. I… I'm happy about what we've done. Proud of what we did. I want people to know that, how proud I am. But, if I keep wearing my bow…"

Weiss hummed, understanding. "It muddies the message you want to send."

Blake nodded. "Yes. I just…" She groaned in frustration. "I don't know what to do!"

She fell silent, glaring at the bow in her hands. Of all things, she couldn't believe that a simple stretch of cloth could cause her so much strife, at least not like this. She ground her teeth as she thought and re-thought the situation in her head. To make matters worse, the clock had continued to tick away. If they didn't leave soon, they'd miss breakfast and be late for class.

Emotions washed over her from all directions, snapping her out of her thoughts.  _Concern. Helplessness. Frustration. A want to help._

It was the last one she focused on. She had to remember, these three weren't just her friends, her team, anymore. They were her Mates. And Mates help each other through their problems. She'd only really thought about how she'd be there to help the others, but… the reverse was true, too.

Hesitantly, Blake lifted her head. She glanced at Ruby and Weiss, the two looking back in concern, then focused on Yang. She leaned into the blonde's embrace as she whispered, "What do you three think? Do you think I should just… stop hiding?"

Yang held her stare, looking puzzled and conflicted. "You want the honest answer?"

Blake nodded. "Yes, Yang. I want to know."

Yang looked at her for a moment, then let out a long breath. "Honestly, Blake… I don't think you should anymore."

Blake felt her heart jump into her throat. She'd said she wanted to know Yang's thoughts, but she hadn't expected the blonde to say it so bluntly.

Weiss apparently agreed. "Yang!" the heiress cried out in reproach.

A hint of red crept up Yang's neck as she defended herself. "Hey, she wanted my honest answer, and I'm giving it to her!" She turned back to Blake, her tone softening. "Look, Blake, I get why you chose to wear it when you first came here, but I think you'd be okay to take it off. The only people who are gonna care that you're a Faunus are jerks like Cardin, but they're not worth your time anyway. If a couple morons want to judge you for what you are before they even know you, let'em. Everyone who matters will be fine with it."

Blake could only nod numbly at her words. Yang didn't think she needed her bow. She… didn't know how to feel about that, honestly.

She slowly turned to her other Mates, her eyes landing on Ruby first. "Ruby?"

Ruby thought for a moment, looking down. "I'm… not sure," she said quietly. "I'd like for you not to have to hide your ears, but I don't want you to get picked on either. Although," She perked up suddenly, smiling as she looked Blake in the eye. "If you did stop wearing your bow, you'd have us supporting you the whole time!"

Blake blinked at the younger girl's answer. She… wasn't wrong. It wasn't like when she first started at Beacon, all alone with no help. Now she had her team, her Mates, at her side. She hadn't really thought of it that way before. Lastly, she turned to Weiss.

The heiress looked back, biting at her thumbnail as she thought. She sighed. "I don't know, Blake. I'd like to tell you that you have nothing to worry about coming out as a Faunus, but…" She sighed again, her voice lowering. "I kind of disproved that sentiment myself. Still, it's not my choice. Ruby's right, Blake. If you choose to do this, we'll support you." She finished with a kind smile, giving a small nod.

Blake sat there, taking all of their words in, as well as the feeling of support they were each sending her. She looked between each of them, being met with smiles and kind eyes.

She tried to picture it: walking the halls of Beacon with her ears uncovered, her status as a cat Faunus plain to all who saw her. Combat practice, trips to Vale, just sitting in class, ears free to the air, being stared at by everyone. It terrified her.

Then… the image shifted. Walking down the hall, her team by her side. Training with her team, enjoying a day out with them, all without having to hide. It was wonderful.

She bit her lip, staring down at her bow. Slowly, she nodded.

She'd made her choice.


	2. Arced

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betaed by Ril_Locke [(Covert Weapon)](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/926755/Covert-Weapon)  
>  [LiLaL'S TV Tropes Page](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/LinkedInLifeAndLove)  
>  [Cross-posted on FF.net](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11689623/25/Linked-in-Life-and-Love)

"I'm sorry, Jaune, I just don't think it's possible."

Pyrrha frowned at the mad scribblings laid out on the cafeteria table before her. She was honestly impressed with the amount of effort Jaune had put into his little pet project, but she couldn't help feeling that it was rather pointless.

"Are you sure?" Jaune asked from his place beside her, frowning as he leaned over the papers. "I could have sworn I had the math right…"

From Pyrrha's other side, Ren gave the various notes a quick once-over. "You did the calculations correctly, Jaune," he said calmly. "The problem is, you simply aren't strong enough to bounce your shield off that many objects and have it keep up enough momentum, let alone have it come back to you."

Pyrrha nodded in agreement. "Plus, even if you were strong enough to do this, you'd have to make all of these calculations in your head, in less than a second. It's just not practical."

"Plus," Nora piped in from Ren's side, glancing away from the fragile tower of balanced silverware she'd been constructing through breakfast. "I'm pretty sure if you threw your shield that hard against a wall, you'd pulverize it."

Jaune felt just the slightest spark of hope. "The wall or my shield?"

"Both," she answered bluntly as she placed the tip of a butter knife on the points of a fork.

Jaune's spark of hope burnt out. "Man… I really thought I was onto something…" He muttered as he collected his notes into a messy pile.

Pyrrha patted him gently on the back, smiling softly. "It was a good idea, Jaune. You just need to come up with something different… preferably one that would obey the laws of physics."

Jaune managed a smile despite himself. Pyrrha's words always did have a way of making him feel better.

"Morning, guys!"

Nora jumped at the sudden shout, accidentally knocking over her cutlery castle. "Aww…" she moaned forlornly.

Jaune stifled a laugh (you do  _not_  laugh at Nora unless she told a joke… or you hate your own legs), then turned to greet the team settling across from his own. "Good morning, Ruby. Running a little late this morning aren't youuuuu…?" Jaune trailed off as he got a good look at the girls sitting across from him, his brain power coming to a complete dead stop.

All-in-all, Team RWBY looked about the same as they always did. Ruby was tearing into her breakfast of donuts and cereal. Weiss was absently scanning her scroll, no doubt planning out her day. Yang was going through her bag, making sure she'd grabbed all her homework before leaving the dorm. And Blake…

Blake was fidgeting slightly in her seat between Weiss and Yang, her head down as she avoided eye contact with anyone at the table. There was a book opened in front of her, but Jaune couldn't really tell if she was actually reading it because… well…

Jaune knew it was rude. It was improper. It was borderline offensive. But he couldn't help but stare.

After all, it's not every day one of your classmates grows cat ears overnight.

Something jabbed him sharply in the side, bringing him back to reality. He turned to his side to find Pyrrha, a disapproving look on her face. Her eyes briefly flicked across the table, causing him to look back. He just barely caught Blake's amber eyes on him before focusing back on her book, a small frown on her face. He also felt a chill run down his spine when he caught a warning look from Yang.

It took Jaune all of a second to realize what he'd been doing. "Aw, crap, sorry, I…" He stopped blathering when Blake glanced up at him, almost shyly. Jaune sighed, fully aware of how bad this could go, but plowed ahead anyway. "Okay, I know I'm not the most attentive guy in school, but please tell me I'm not  _that_  blind."

Blake blinked at his statement as Pyrrha let out a small groan beside him. Ruby looked between him and Blake with a little worry, Weiss subtly closing her scroll to focus on the conversation. Once his words played back in his head, Jaune started mentally preparing for the inevitable onslaught of angry females.

To the shock and relief of all, Blake's lips curved up into a nervous smile. "No, Jaune. I've, um… I was hiding my ears under my bow."

"Oh," Jaune said in response. Then the implications really clicked, his eyes widening in realization. " _Ohhh…_ "

"Nora, no."

All eyes (some more subtle than others) turned towards the end of the table. Ren was calmly sipping from his cup of tea, while Nora crossed her arms in annoyance, facing away from him. "I didn't do anything," she muttered.

"You were thinking it."

"No I wasn't."

"Yes, you were."

"Well…" Nora's eyes briefly flicked towards Blake, specifically, her cat ears. "I wasn't going to actually do it."

Ren looked at her from the corner of his eye, then shook his head with a small smirk. He set down his cup, looking to Blake. "Any particular reason for the change, Blake?"

Blake swallowed, closing her book. "I… did some thinking, and after talking it over with my team, I decided that I don't want to hide what I am anymore."

Ren nodded, his lips curving up into a small smile. "Rather brave of you."

Blake tried to smile back, but only managed to bite her lip nervously as she folded her hands on the table. "I wish I felt it. I can't stop feeling like everyone's staring at me."

"Aw, don't sweat it, Blake," Yang said before swiveling her head around the room. "Either no one's noticed or they just don't care… well, mostly," she muttered as she met the eyes of a fox Faunus who'd been staring at their table, his mouth hanging open in shock. Said fox snapped his mouth shut, suddenly finding his scrambled eggs very interesting.

Blake sighed, having seen the whole thing. Her cat ears wilted. "I was afraid of that…"

"You've just surprised them is all," Pyrrha soothed. "Give it a few days. The novelty will wear off eventually."

Blake met Pyrrha's warm green eyes, and managed a small smile. "Thanks. So…" she started hesitantly, her ears perking up a little. "Do you guys have any problems with this… me being a Faunus?"

Pyrrha shook her head, smiling. "Not at all. I have no issue with Faunus. Though…" Her cheeks tinted a little in embarrassment. "I am sorry about the other morning."

Blake was confused for a moment, before she remembered. "It's fine. Thank you for not saying anything to anyone."

Pyrrha seemed surprised by her gratitude, then shrugged with a grin. "Wasn't my business."

Ren raised an eyebrow at the redhead. "You knew Blake was a Faunus?"

Pyrrha nodded. "I saw her ears when I brought their pancakes over last weekend." She ignored Nora's annoyed huff. "Like I said, wasn't my place to say anything."

Ren nodded in acceptance, then gave Blake a small smile. "The fact that you're a Faunus doesn't change who you are, Blake. I'm fine with it."

"Same here!" Nora chirped with a large grin. "Though, um…" her eyes glanced up at Blake's ears again, her expression turning awkward.

Blake frowned in apprehension, her ears folding back slightly. "What?"

Nora's mouth opened and closed a few times, different words forming on her lips, yet none of them were spoken. She gave an odd grimace as she struggled for the right thing to say.

Ren let out a long-suffering sigh, taking a sip of his tea. "She wants to ask if she can pet your ears."

Blake jerked back in surprise, her eyes slamming back against her skull. She just barely registered her teammates reacting similarly, Weiss giving Nora a disapproving glare.

Nora's head snapped towards Ren, a look of utter betrayal on her face (which Ren promptly ignored). Her cheeks tinting in embarrassment, Nora shrugged at Blake, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry…" she weakly apologized. "They just look… fuzzy."

Her shock worn off, Blake narrowed her eyes at Nora, frowning. "Nora, that's not really something you ask in public. It's… private."

Nora slumped, looking cowed. "Sorry…"

Blake held her glare for a moment, before letting out a sigh. She reminded herself that this wasn't some random person, this was one of her friends. Her eyes softened as she smiled at Nora. She leaned forward, lowering her voice. "Maybe after classes."

Nora blinked in surprise, then beamed a smile, practically bouncing in her seat.

That just left… Blake turned to face the leader of Team JNPR, only to find a confusing sight.

Jaune was squinting across the table at Ruby, who hadn't seemed to notice, what with having tried to focus on the conversation and her breakfast at the same time. Blake tried to follow his eyes, only to feel a chill when she realized what caught his attention: Ruby's Mate's Mark.

The academy uniforms they all wore unfortunately didn't give them many options when it came to showing off their Marks. With their high collars, the only part of their Marks that could be seen clearly was Weiss' snowflake. The collar cut the Mark off about halfway down, leaving only half of Blake's flower and just the tips of Ruby's rose and Yang's flame to be seen. It wasn't perfect, but it was the best they could do with what they had.

Apparently, however, their Marks were plenty visible, because Jaune was staring right at Ruby's, his brow scrunched in confusion and… shock, Blake guessed?

"Jaune?" she asked hesitantly, slightly worried.

Jaune blinked, taking his eyes off of Ruby's neck and turning to Blake. "Wha? Oh, sorry, Blake. You say something?"

Blake bit her lip, feeling her anxiety raise for unknown reasons. The way he'd been looking at Ruby's Mark was...odd. Almost like… Blake pushed the thought away. There was no way. Instead, she asked, "Do you have a problem with me being a Faunus?"

To her surprise, Jaune gave her a funny look. Even more surprising, he gave a small baffled laugh. "Uh… would be a little hypocritical of me if I did, wouldn't it?"

Now Blake was confused, and she wasn't the only one. Everyone from either side of the table turned towards Jaune, bewildered. Ruby cocked her head to the side in confusion, an action mirrored by Nora. Ren raised an eyebrow at him, curiosity bleeding through his stoic facade. Weiss' head jerked back, her eyes wide, while Yang stared at him like he'd just spoken in a different language. Pyrrha's eyebrows shot up to her hairline, her mouth falling open a bit.

Jaune flinched under the sudden attention, sinking into his seat like he expected a bomb to go off. "What? What'd I say?"

Blake worked her mouth a few times, struggling for something to say. From the corner of her eye, she saw Nora not-so-subtly lean around Ren and look up and down Jaune's back. It was completely insane, but Blake took a sniff of the air just to be sure.

 _No… no, his scent is human,_ she thought to herself. The only Faunus scents on Jaune were so faint that they had to be second hand, likely just from being around the Faunus students in Beacon.  _But then why would he say…?_

"Um… the hell do you mean by that, Vomit Boy?" Yang asked, baffled.

Jaune stared back at her, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Well, because of my… wait... " His features smoothed out in realization, before turning back to confusion. "Didn't I tell you all about my family?"

His sudden change of topic left Blake feeling even more lost. "Your family?" she questioned.

Jaune's eyes widened. "I could've sworn I… Ruby, Pyrrha!" He quickly looked between the two, gaining their startled attention. "I know I told you two about my family!"

Ruby hesitated for a second, before thinking hard. "Uh… you have a lot of sisters, right?"

"Seven, if I remember right," Pyrrha added, nodding to the sniper.

Jaune looked back and forth from them both, his brow scrunched in confusion. "But I could have sworn…" Then he blinked. He let out a groan, slapping a hand to his forehead. "I'm an idiot," he stated.

Pyrrha frowned in disapproval. "Jaune, you're not-"

"No, I am," Jaune affirmed, thoroughly annoyed with himself as she started patting his pockets, looking for something. "Because only I would know you guys this long and never- ah, here it is." From his back pocket, Jaune pulled out his scroll, turning it on. He swiped across the screen a few times, before letting out a sound of satisfaction. He set it down on the table, turning it sideways so everyone could see. A picture of four people was on the screen. "That's me with my three oldest sisters."

Everyone crowded around to see the small screen, Ruby having to move between Weiss and Blake to get a good look. From Blake's seat, she could see the picture perfectly. And it confused the hell out of her.

True to Jaune's words, the picture was of him and three blonde-haired women, all smiling at the camera. Jaune was wearing a grey suit and tie that looked about a size too big. He was standing near the center of the picture, sandwiched between two of the women, each of them having draped an arm across his shoulders, with the third doing the same to the women next to her. Two of the girls wore matching sky-blue dresses, while the one on Jaune's right…

"Is that a wedding dress?" Weiss asked incredulously.

Jaune gave a sheepish grin. "Yeah. Those are my sisters Jane, Jessie, and Joanne. It was Jessie's wedding day and they roped me into taking pictures with everyone."

Weiss nodded at his answer, her attention back on the photo with everyone else. Honestly, if not for the wedding dress, none of them would be able to tell Jessie from the other two. The three looked so similar, they could have passed for triplets.

If not for the fact that poking out in front of Jessie's wedding veil were two large, pointed wolf ears, same as the girl on Jaune's other side.

Blake's mouth fell open as she tried to process what she was seeing. "Your sisters are… Faunus?" she asked faintly.

Jaune nodded, smiling. "Yep! Wolf Faunus, actually."

Blake met his eyes, trying to understand. "But… you're human. How…?"

"Well," Jaune started. "Technically, they're my half-sisters." From the corner of her eye, Blake saw Ruby and Yang share a surprised glance with each other. Jaune didn't notice, continuing. "See, Jane and Jessie are the daughters of my dad and his first wife, who was also a wolf Faunus. A little after Jane and Jess turned two- they're twins, you see- their mom got real sick. There was nothing anyone could do, and she passed away. Two years later, he met the woman who would be my mom."

Silence fell around the table as Jaune finished. No one was quite sure what to say.

"Yeesh…" Yang said after a while. "That's… kinda heavy, Jaune."

Jaune shrugged. "I guess. I've never really thought about it too much. Jane and Jess were really young when their mom died, so they don't remember a whole lot about her. And as far as I can remember, they've always considered my mom their mom."

Yang nodded, and Blake felt something odd across the Link. She moved her eyes to look at Yang as she felt a mix of sadness and longing coming from the blonde. It was gone just as fast as it came, but Blake still caught the small frown on Yang's face before she wiped it away with a grin. She bobbed her head towards the image. "Well, you all look happy. Them being Faunus didn't matter to you?"

Jaune smiled back, slightly perplexed. "Course not. They're my big sisters. Though it did kinda suck playing hide-and-seek when we were kids. Freaking wolf senses…." he grumbled to himself, face screwing up in frustration like he was recalling a bad memory. His face smoothed out as he picked up his scroll, grinning at Blake. "So, yeah, I don't have a problem with you being a Faunus, Blake. Kind of hard to when I grew up with two of them."

Blake couldn't help the wide smile spreading across her lips. She'd been so scared about people knowing she was a Faunus, but even more so about JNPR. Strangers and random students were bad enough, but the members of Team JNPR were slowly becoming people she could add to her short list of people she trusted. She was afraid that she'd lose that possibility once they knew what she was. Instead, they were completely okay with it. If anything, given what she'd learned about Jaune and his family, she was even closer to them now.

Across the Link, she felt happiness and relief from Ruby and Weiss, and from Yang, a sense of satisfaction behind her relief. She turned to the blonde, being met with a familiar grin. She rolled her eyes. "Don't say 'I told you so'."

Yang put her hands up in defense, still grinning. "Alright," she said in a tone that clearly meant 'But I'll still think it.'

Blake sighed with a smile. She felt her ears perk up, lifting along with her mood. She nearly caught herself, before remembering that she didn't need to restrain her ear's movements anymore.  _That's going to be a hard habit to break,_  she thought to herself.

The next few minutes passed with comforting ease. Ruby started asking Jaune more questions about his family, Pyrrha listening attentively as they talked, asking her own questions from time to time. Yang and Nora started an argument over which was more effective, a fist covered in flames or a hammer covered in lightning, while Weiss and Ren went back to their own devices, Weiss flipping through her scroll while Ren enjoyed his tea.

Blake just tried to relax, listening to bits and pieces of the two different conversations. A sudden tickling on the back of her neck put her back on edge, the feeling instantly familiar: someone was looking at her.

She swiveled in her seat, quickly scanning the cafeteria. She saw a few Faunus suddenly duck their heads, but the feeling didn't go away. She looked a bit more…

"Oh no…" she muttered, her ears folding down against her skull.

Weiss picked up on her sudden dread, looking at her. "Blake? What… oh." Weiss trailed off as she followed Blake's gaze.

Across the room, Cardin Winchester had just walked in. His left eye was still swollen shut from the last combat practice, but his other one was opened wide. His face went slack with shock, before a sneer spread over his lips. He started making his way across the room, the rest of CRDL following behind.

Blake felt her mouth go dry. This was it. This was  _exactly_  why she'd stayed hidden all this time: so she could avoid this exact situation.

Cardin reached the midway point of the room, his eyes locked onto Blake.

"Oh, just try it, buddy."

The quiet mutters pulled Blake from her building anxiety, making her turn to the side. Yang was glaring right past her, her eyes blazing red. A quick look the other way showed Ruby and Weiss doing the same, the closest thing to anger Blake had ever seen on Ruby's face. Weiss frowned at the approaching group, eyes narrowed in disdain.

_**THUNK!** _

Blake jumped as the whole table suddenly shook. Her head spun around as she looked across the table. To her surprise, Jaune, Pyrrha, and Ren were also glaring at Cardin, with Ren's eyes narrowed dangerously. Besides them, however, Nora was smiling widely towards Cardin, her hands folded gently over Magnhild's handle, the massive hammer having appeared seemingly from nowhere.

Cardin froze in his tracks, as did the rest of his team. He looked over the table, worry flickering across his features as he realized that he was outnumbered. Then he just sneered again, changing course towards an empty table.

Blake let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She glanced to her sides, seeing her teammates relax as well. "Thank you," she whispered gratefully.

Yang patted her on the back, smiling as her eyes went back to lavender. "We got your back, Blake."

Blake managed a smile, her ears perking up slightly. Ruby and Weiss smiled at her, before going back to what they were doing. Across the table, Ren raised a disapproving eyebrow at Nora, looking between her and Magnhild. Nora just grinned back at him, humming a little tune.

Blake looked around at the seven of them, her grin not leaving her as she felt warmth in her chest. It had been a long time since she felt this safe with a group of people. She felt newfound hope that it would last.

She pulled out her scroll, checking the time. Classes were going to start shortly. Before she put her scroll away, she decided to check the news to see if anything had happened outside Beacon. Her thumb tapped across the screen, bringing up her favored news site.

Her ears dipped down as she read the first headline.

_**SDC WAREHOUSE ROBBED, WHITE FANG SUSPECTED.** _

As Blake read further down the report, she felt her ears lowering with her mood.

 _They're growing bolder…_  she thought with dread.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Blake jumped slightly at Weiss' soft voice. She turned, finding the heiress' eyes flicking between herself and her own scroll, worry etched on her face. Blake looked at Weiss' scroll, seeing the same news report she'd been reading.

 _She must have felt my mood and put two and two together,_  Blake thought to herself. She felt her usual instinct to deny it, to say it was her problem, but she forced it down. She could feel Weiss' worry and desire to help. She caught the glances of Ruby and Yang, each catching on to the feeling of Weiss and herself.

Blake looked back down at her scroll, re-reading the headline. "Later," she finally said.

Weiss' annoyance was palpable. "Blake…" she said warningly.

The corner of Blake's lip twitched a little as she fought a smile. She waved a hand in placation. "After classes, Weiss. Then I'll talk about it, I promise."

Weiss kept up her stern stare for a few more seconds, then sighed heavily. "Fine. But I'm holding you to that."

Just then, the bell rang, signaling the five-minute warning. Everyone moved to leave, Blake following her team. They just left the room and started up the hall when a voice sounded behind them.

"I'll catch up in a second. Hey, Blake!" Blake turned to the voice, finding Jaune standing next to her, his team walking off without him. Pyrrha sent him a curious look before following after Ren and Nora. "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?"

Blake blinked, confused. "Um… sure." She caught sight of her team sending her questioning looks. She gave them a reassuring smile and waved for them to continue on. She saw Yang shrug and Ruby nod back, before they kept walking towards class. She turned back to Jaune. "Something wrong?"

Jaune rubbed the back of his head, smiling awkwardly. "Nothing's wrong really, it's just…" He heaved out a long sigh, as if resigning himself. "Look, I  _completely_  understand that it's none of my business, but it's going to bug me if I don't ask." He gingerly pressed a finger to the side of his neck. "That mark on your neck. Is that… a Mate's Mark?"

Blake blinked in surprise. "You know about Mate's Marks?" she asked.

Jaune nodded. "Yeah. When I was ten I asked my brother-in-law why he got a tattoo on his neck, and Jane explained it to me. So, I guess that's a yes?"

Blake hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Yes, it is."

Jaune nodded back, just as slowly. "'Kay. I also saw that Ruby had the same Mark… and so did Yang… and Weiss…"

Blake felt her cheeks a little as she started to tense up. "Do you have a problem with our relationship?" she asked calmly, but defensively.

Jaune threw his hands up in surrender. "No, no, I don't have a problem! It's just… I knew group relationships were a thing with some Faunus, I just didn't think I'd ever know someone who was in one."

Blake relaxed slightly at his honest tone, her eyes softening. "So, you're okay with it?"

Jaune gave a small hum, his head tilting slightly. "Yeah, pretty much. I mean, it's a little weird, but I know you guys. If you think you can make it work, then go for it. Though…"

Blake frowned as he trailed off. "What?"

With an embarrassed chuckle, Jaune rubbed at the back of his neck. "Well… I was kind of making plans to try and ask Weiss out?" he said with a sheepish grin, cringing a little as he did so.

Blake's eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed. A small growl sounded at the back of her throat.

Jaune instantly threw his hands back up. "Hey, she's taken, I get it!" He laughed quietly to himself. "Didn't really think I had a chance anyway."

Blake forced her annoyance down, letting out a sigh. She started walking up the hall, Jaune following behind. "You'll find someone, Jaune. Just be patient."

Jaune huffed. "Jeez, you sound like my sisters." He perked up a little, remembering something. "That reminds me: Jane said humans couldn't give a Faunus a Mark. How did you get one?"

Blake started at the turn in conversation, but then smiled. "You're right. Humans usually can't, but Weiss had this idea…"

The two continued towards their classes as Blake and Jaune talked, Blake not even noticing the curious stares she got from the people in the hall. Neither did they notice the shocked look of one particular rabbit Faunus they passed, watching them turn down a corner.

"A human… can Mark a Faunus?" Velvet whispered to herself.


	3. Coming Clean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betaed by Ril_Locke [(Covert Weapon)](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/926755/Covert-Weapon)
> 
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> [LiLaL'S TV Tropes Page](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/LinkedInLifeAndLove)
> 
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> 
> [Cross-posted on FF.net](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11689623/26/Linked-in-Life-and-Love)

The day had gone by surprisingly fast. Blake had gone into each class with more than a little fear, just waiting for that one student, or worse, one of the teachers, to make a comment about her ears. She figured it was only a matter of time before someone drew attention to her sudden change in species.

And yet… it never happened. Oh, she still got some curious stares, there was no ignoring that. Every class there was at least one human that did a double-take when they saw her, but none of them said anything. The worst she got was one guy in Port's class that, once he noticed her ears, moved from his seat next to her to one on the other side of the room. It hurt, but compared to what she'd been expecting, his reaction was rather tame.

The big surprise was the teachers. To Blake's utter shock, the teachers barely seemed to notice the change. The most she got out of any of them was a wide smile from Professor Oobleck, and a raised eyebrow and small nod from Professor Goodwitch. It wasn't until after lunch that she figured out the most likely reason: they'd already known.

It made sense. Ozpin had made her for the Faunus she was the moment he'd met her, and she had a strong feeling that he knew about her history in the White Fang. Of course he'd tell the school faculty.

If anything, it was the others that started turning heads. Everywhere they went, Ruby, Weiss, and Yang drew the attention of nearly every Faunus they came across. Blake had lost count of the number of dropped jaws and bugged eyes she saw throughout the halls as Team RWBY made their way to various classes. And every time, it was the same thing: a Faunus would see them, do a double-take, and then immediately look at their Mate's Marks. Again, no one said anything, much to Blake's relief, but there was no missing the curiosity and shock they drew everywhere they went.

Each of her Mates handled it differently. Ruby worried her a little, as the young leader seemed to try and sink into her cloak whenever she noticed too many eyes on her. Yang had told Blake before that Ruby used to be uncomfortable being around strangers, but this was the first time she'd seen it. She'd done her best to send her youngest Mate feelings of calm and reassurance. Judging by the grateful smiles she received from Ruby, it was helping, at least a little bit.

Yang was different. Whereas Ruby was nervous from all the attention, Yang seemed to thrive on it. Every time she felt some Faunus' eyes on her, Yang would just meet their gaze and smile widely, sometimes even giving them a little wave. Her response seemed to startle most of them into looking away (likely the reaction she was going for, if Blake hazarded a guess), but a few of them actually smiled and waved back.

Weiss… just seemed to ignore them. She wasn't being purposefully rude or malicious, Blake could feel that. Weiss just acted like the attention wasn't there. And Blake couldn't really blame her. Whereas Ruby and Yang got brief shocked glances, Faunus just  _stared_  at Weiss. Evidently, the impossibility of a Schnee being a Faunus' Mate was not lost on them.

At lunch, Blake couldn't help but ask Weiss how she just ignored all the attention. Weiss' response was simple: being the Schnee heiress, she was used to unwanted attention. The resignation Blake felt across the Link at that moment made her heart constrict. In response, Blake had simply wrapped her hand around Weiss' under the table, giving it a squeeze. The small smile Weiss gave her lessened her concern, coaxing out a smile of her own.

Things had died down a bit after lunch, at least enough that they could make it down the halls without seemingly  _everyone_  staring at them. After classes had been let out, Ruby even managed to drag her and Weiss down to the library to introduce them to  _Remnant: The Game_. Neither of them had been all that impressed with it at first, but after a few rounds, they'd both started to have fun, if for nothing else than watching Ruby and Yang's reactions when one of them suffered a sudden defeat.

JNPR had even wandered in after a while, joining in on the game. It was the first time in a long while that Blake was able to just have fun with friends, all her problems and worries being pushed to the back of her mind for once.

Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to last. Soon after the game ended and Team RWBY started making their way back to their dorm, Blake's thoughts started going back to that news report. Ever since that night at the docks, more and more robberies had cropped up by the week. That had been bad enough, but this time, it had gotten worse. A security guard was in the hospital for massive internal bleeding, and another had both of his legs broken. The White Fang wasn't just stealing anymore; they were actively hurting people.

And the sheer amount of Dust stolen… something big was about to happen, that much Blake was sure of. And the fact that she was apparently the  _only_  one that understood that was infuriating!

Her souring mood was not missed by her Mates. Ruby and Yang kept sending her concerned glances, while Weiss just looked at her expectantly.

Blake almost sighed in frustration. She knew why Weiss was giving her that look. She was waiting for Blake to explain her change in mood, just like she'd promised that morning. And Blake had no problem with that, really! Her only issue was that in order to tell them what was wrong, she had to make them understand why this weighed so heavily on her. And that… could be a problem.

Because… they were Mates now. She was connected to these three in the most intimate of ways; they had each willingly given a piece of themselves to her, physically made them a part of her. And with that connection came certain rights. Their problems were now her problems… and her problems were now theirs.

There were no secrets between Mates, not with something as important as this. And even if they weren't Mates, Blake knew her team. Once they realized how important the White Fang situation was to her, they'd want to help in one way or another. But as her Mates, Blake was an open book to them. They'd know if she tried to keep something important from them.

Blake heaved a sigh. She felt at war with herself. There was Blake of the White Fang, wanting to hide away from everything, keeping all her history and personal issues away from anyone and everyone., ensuring that it was her problem and hers alone. And there was Blake Belladonna, Huntress-in-training, Mate to Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, and Yang Xiao-Long, wishing,  _longing_ , to let these three know who she is, fully and completely, and accept any help they'd be willing to give.

Blake listened to both sides, trying to think of what would happen if she followed one path or another. It was the sight of another worried wayward glance from Ruby that she made her decision, much to the dismay of the butterflies in her stomach.

For them to help her, she'd need to tell them everything about her connection to the White Fang.

_Everything._

Goddesses help her.

* * *

"Alright, Blake. This has gone far enough."

Blake resisted the urge to groan, putting her book down. She looked up from where she laid on her bed, finding Weiss glowering down at her, arms crossed.

"You promised you would tell us what was wrong after classes. Well, classes have been over for four hours and…" Weiss' stern look softened a bit, her frown fading to a thin line. "And I can  _feel_  that something's eating at you. So, please, tell us."

Blake swallowed. She looked across the room, finding Ruby looking back from her book, concern palpable. Above her, she heard the squeak of bedsprings as Yang no doubt moved to look down on them, the blonde's curiosity and worry leaking out across the Link. With a sigh, Blake sat up, swinging her legs off the edge of the bed.

"I know, I'm just… trying to think of how to explain everything."

"Something wrong, Blake?" Ruby asked, concern in her voice.

Blake fidgeted under their gaze. She felt her bed shake as Yang shifted on the bunk above her, Yang's golden locks hanging over the bed's edge as the blonde peered down at her. Blake swallowed down her nerves. "Do you all remember when I said that… there are no secrets between Mates?"

Surprise echoed through the Link as her Mates reacted to her words. Yang looked across the room, meeting Weiss and Ruby's eyes, before jumping off her bunk to the floor below. She sat down next to Blake, pulling her legs up to sit cross-legged. "Yeah," Yang said. "What of it?"

Blake looked around at them all. Ruby and Weiss looked back at her expectantly, Ruby's head tilted a little to the side, while Weiss crossed her arms, frowning. Equal parts worry and curiosity rolled off of them.

Blake took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Well… I think it's time I made good on that." When she was met only with confused stares, she clarified. "I… haven't been entirely honest with you all."

_Surprise. Resignation. A small amount of hurt._

Blake flinched slightly. She couldn't pin down exactly who the emotions had come from, meaning that all three of her Mates had felt the same thing. The resignation stung the worst, Blake realizing that she'd kept so many secrets from her Mates that they'd grown used to it.

Weiss took a calming breath, the indignant frown that had formed on her lips fading into a tight line. "Okay... " she started slowly. "What haven't you been honest about?"

Blake bit her lip. "It's… about my parents."

That startled a reaction out of them all, eyes widening all around. "What about them?" Ruby asked, frowning.

Blake forced herself to meet the leader's eyes. She took comfort in Ruby's bright silver eyes, no judgment or anger reflected back from them, just curiosity and worry. She took another breath, steadying herself. "I told you all that I hadn't seen them in a long time. I… I think it's time I told you why."

She took a moment for the  _Surprise_ to wash over them all. "Um… okay," Weiss said slowly, her eyes widened a little. They softened when she saw just how visibly nervous Blake was. "If you're certain."

Blake swallowed slightly. "Sorry, it's just… I've been so wrapped up in my own head, I…" She gave a small sigh. "I'm not used to trusting people, and… this is about the most important secret I have."

Ruby blinked owlishly at her. "Why would who your parents are be such a big secret?"

Blake looked into Ruby's silver eyes. "Because of who they are. Or at least… who my father is."

Yang raised an eyebrow, frowning. "What about him? He do something bad or something?"

Blake shook her head, the corner of her lip turning up wryly despite herself. "No, no, nothing like that. It's just… I'm worried you'll look at me differently once you know who he is."

Weiss cocked an eyebrow at her, unimpressed. "Blake, I am in no position to judge anyone by who their father is."

Her bluntness got a startled look out of Blake, amber eyes widening briefly.

"Yeah, and me and Ruby can't really say much when it comes to other people's families," Yang admitted with a sheepish, if tight grin. The blonde shot a look at her sister. "Right, Rubes?"

Ruby, having come down off her bunk and taken a seat at the desk chair, sent back the same tight smile. "Yeah... " she agreed, looking down slightly.

Blake and Weiss watched the short interaction in surprised confusion. They shared a look, agreeing to question the sisters on that later. For the moment, Weiss simply met Blake's eyes with an expectant look.

Blake held the look for a moment, before sighing in defeat, her ears wilting. "Okay. Just… promise not to make a big deal about this?"

Ruby tilted her head slightly. "A big deal about what?"

"Just… promise me?" Blake pleaded. "Please?"

Weiss kept up her stare, though her features softened at Blake's hesitance. She nodded in agreement, Ruby and Yang mirroring her.

Accepting them at their word, Blake took a deep breath, steeling herself. She met each of her Mates' eyes, before looking down at the carpet. "My parents live in Menagerie," she started, willing her heartbeat to slow. "My mother's name is Kali, and… my father's name is Ghira."

Seconds ticked past in silence. Blake chanced a look at her Mates. Ruby and Yang looked confused, but thoughtful, while Weiss…

Weiss blinked. Twice. "Could… could you repeat that, Blake?" The heiress' voice was high and tight, thick with disbelief.

Blake's head lowered, grimacing slightly.  _I should have known Weiss would make the connection first._  "My father is Ghira of Menagerie."

Weiss stared at her, wide-eyed. Then, slowly, she brought a hand to her face, pinching the bridge of her nose as she closed her eyes.

Yang let out a grunt of annoyance, cupping her chin in thought. "Ghira… why do I feel like I've heard that name before?"

"Because you have! Two weeks ago in Oobleck's…" Weiss cut her agitated words off with a deep breath.

Ruby, who was still trying to figure out what Weiss apparently had, looked between her and Blake in confusion.

Just when Blake was about to say something, Weiss dragged her hand down her face, letting out a long sigh as her pleading eyes met Blake's. "Blake, are you seriously telling us that the King of Menagerie… one of the founders and former Leader of the White Fang… is your father?"

Ruby and Yang's eyes widened to comical proportions, snapping in sync to Weiss, then Blake.

Blake swallowed at their looks. "He prefers to be called 'Chieftain', but… yeah." She grinned sheepishly, cringing at their incredulous looks. "Surprise?"

The three just stared. After a few moments of silence so deafening you could hear dust settle, Weiss dipped her head, covering her eyes.

"Alright, Blake," she said faintly. "I'll admit, I cannot blame you for keeping that a secret. I… Dust, I need to sit down."

As Weiss wandered off towards her bed, Ruby found her voice. "Blake… you're a princess?"

Blake blinked, then groaned. "No! No, Ruby, I am  _not_  a princess. I'm the chief's daughter."

"Um…" Yang asked distantly. "What exactly is the difference?"

"Menagerie is a sovereign nation, not one of the Four Kingdoms. My father is not a king, my mother is not a queen, and I am  _not_  a princess!"

Yang flinched away as Blake's voice rose. "Yikes, sorry! Sore subject, I'm guessing?"

Realizing that she had nearly yelled the last part, Blake blushed in embarrassment. "Sorry. But  _this_  is part of the reason I didn't tell you all. I didn't want to be treated unfairly for being a Faunus, and I  _definitely_  don't want people to look at me differently because they think I'm royalty."

"Well, that's silly!"

Blake, startled, turned to Ruby, who just smiled back at her.

"You're still Blake. Why would it matter if you're a… not-princess?" she finished awkwardly.

Across the room, Weiss sighed. "Because, unlike you, Ruby, not everyone looks at the world like it's made of cookies and rainbows."

Ruby pouted at her, sticking her tongue out. Weiss ignored her, instead lowering her hand from her face as she met Blake's eyes. "So… your father is the leader of Menagerie. That… honestly, that explains a lot."

Blake swallowed, one of her ears flicking nervously. "Yeah. Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you-"

She was cut off when Yang let out a chuckle. "Relax, Blake, we get the picture. That's… really nuts, but I can see why you'd want to keep that under wraps. Though, I got to ask-" The blonde's smile faded into an odd frown. "If your folks are waiting back home, why haven't you talked to them?"

Blake stiffened, then seemed to slump in her seat. "I'd like to, but…" she sighed. "I don't know how to face them."

Yang raised a brow at her. "Face them? What, something go down the last time you saw them?"

A breathless chuckle escaped Blake's lips. "Something… I ran away from home."

A jolt of shock came at her through the Link, mirrored in her Mates' wide eyes. Blake ran a hand through her hair, pushing down her anxiety. She needed to do this, now, before she lost her nerve. Before any of the girls around her could react, she launched into her story.

"Before my father was the Chieftain of Menagerie, he helped form the White Fang, and became their leader. This was before the Fang had become what they are now. Back then, they were just activists, protesters. My father lead them for many years, traveling all throughout the Kingdoms, speaking with anyone willing to listen. The little bit of ground Faunus made towards equality was thanks to him."

As the three listened, there was no mistaking the pride in Blake's voice. Ruby and Yang shared a smile, while Weiss listened intently. When Blake continued, her tone lowered.

"But then… my mother found out she was pregnant. My father made a choice, and decided to step down as High Leader of the White Fang so he could be with his family. He still wanted to help the Faunus people, so when it came time for Menagerie to elect a new chief, dad put himself in the running. Everyone remembered all he did in the White Fang, so he got the Chiefdom easily. Everything seemed okay, until…"

She fell silent. She took a calming breath, preparing herself. She could feel her Mates, waiting impatiently for her to continue. She let the air our slow.

"Menagerie doesn't have academies like the rest of the Kingdoms. To start becoming a Hunter, you either have to be taught by your parents, or join some of the small school groups that form in some towns. My father taught me when he had the chance, but being Chieftain didn't leave much time to spar. So, he found a group being taught by a local prodigy. His name was…" Blake licked her dry lips, her gaze unintentionally flickering up towards Weiss. She looked back down as she muttered on. "...Adam Taurus."

Weiss' gasp sounded unnaturally loud in the silent room. "That's-"

"Just-!" Blake threw up a hand, amber eyes pleading into Weiss' wide crystal blue. "Just let me finish," she asked, her voice thick with emotion. "Please."

Weiss' shocked expression slowly morphed to one of startled confusion, before changing to grim acceptance. She nodded for Blake to continue.

Ruby looked to Yang helplessly, her older sister only able to offer a shrug in response. They both could feel the sadness, the regret, the shame coming off of Blake, wanting nothing more than to comfort the Faunus in some way, but unsure how. Before they could do anything, Blake went on, her tone turning almost nostalgic.

"Adam… taught me everything. He taught me how to use aura, how to master my Semblance. He even helped me figure out which weapon type suited me best. And… even when we weren't training, he was always there just to talk. He never talked down to me, even with the age gap between us. I could tell him anything. He… was my best friend."

"You looked up to him," Yang observed, worry forming at where she felt this was going.

Blake nodded. "Yes, I did. But, even back then… Adam didn't think very highly of humans, and he made that fact known at every opportunity. He would tell me about how Faunus were treated outside of Menagerie, how humans thought that we were beneath them. When he first started telling me these things. I asked my father if he was telling the truth. Dad admitted that he was right to a degree, but not to the extent that Adam made it sound. But… Adam kept telling me more and more and… I listened."

"When I was thirteen, Adam said he was leaving for Vale, to help the White Fang there after a protest turned into a riot. I asked my parents if I could go with him. I was one of the best fighters in our town, and I thought I was ready. They said I was too young to go off on my own, even if Adam was with me. I… didn't agree. So, when Adam got on the boat for Vale, I stowed away to follow him."

Yang let out a disbelieving laugh. "Bet your parents didn't like that."

Blake shook her head, a tiny smile on her lips. "The moment the ship got within range of a communications tower, Adam's scroll started ringing like crazy. My mother was hysterical, and Dad told me to get on the next boat back to Menagerie. Things got kind of heated, and… I said some things I shouldn't have. We went back and forth for an hour in the harbor, before we came to an agreement. They'd let me join the Vale branch of the White Fang on two conditions: that I called home as often as I could… and that Adam would watch out for me."

Blake paused to gather her thoughts. She could see the thoughtful look in Weiss' eye, not judging so much as considering. The frown on Yang's face worried her, doubly so when she met the blonde's eyes. There was no need for the Link, she knew: Yang had figured it out.

Yang must have seen the way Blake's face fell, because she let her frown lessen just a bit. She gave Blake an encouraging nod, a sign that she was still willing to listen.

It was the sudden widening of Ruby's eyes, and they stunned look on her face as she turned to Blake, that made the Faunus' stomach drop.

"Blake?" she asked hesitantly. "This Adam guy… Is he the one who…?" Ruby trailed off, simply pointing to her Mark.

Blake closed her eyes. She gave a small nod. She couldn't see the look on Ruby's face, but she could feel the way the younger girl's mood took a dive. Blake chose not to comment on it, continuing on.

"When we first came to Vale, Adam was the only person I knew. I was part of the Vale branch for three years, and I was at his side through all of it, even after he rose to be the local leader."

Her voice grew distant as she remembered. "He really was a good person once. He had his faults, but… he was kind… caring. He would help any Faunus we came across, no matter how big or small the task. He was an amazing warrior, the best I'd ever seen. He… was my hero. And over time… I really thought I loved him."

The emotions Blake felt coming off her Mates could not be put into words, and Blake didn't even try. The sheer  _ache_  in her chest was enough to turn her stomach.

"What happened?"

Blake's eyes came up to meet Weiss'. The heiress stared back at her, her face somehow both soft and stern. Blake slowly looked at each of the sisters. Ruby was biting her lip, fidgeting in her chair like she wanted to do  _something_ , but had no idea what. Yang met her gaze passively, a hard look in her eye as she waited for Blake to answer Weiss' question. Blake looked towards the ground as she did.

"He… changed. I wish I could say when it happened, but I don't know. Over time, he just got… darker… crueler. He said that during rallies, we had to be louder, more forceful. When we helped people, he started asking for compensation. And then… he started getting violent. He told us to fight. He told us to steal. I… in the back of my mind, I guess I knew what we were doing was wrong, but…" She shrugged helplessly. "He was Adam. I had listened to every word he'd said since I was a kid, I believed everything he told me. He said that this is what we had to do to get our message across… and I trusted him."

It was silent for a moment, before Ruby spoke up. "But… you realized what you were doing was bad… right?"

Blake nodded to her. "Eventually… but I should have seen it much sooner." She took a deep breath, steeling herself for one last time. "About a year ago, I… asked him to be my Mate." She took a moment for the girls' shock to abate before going on. "Our…'relationship', if you could call it that, wasn't exactly intimate. A few close moments, a  _very_  rare kiss every now and then. Most of the time, he was too focused on the White Fang's next move to do anything else. Looking back, what we had was…" She scoffed. "Pathetic. But I had nothing to compare it to, so I thought that was just how things were supposed to be."

"Knowing what I know now, I have  _no_  idea how we were able to Mark each other. I know that at the time, I had enough trust, respect, and affection for Adam to Mark him, but… I don't even want to  _think_  about how he viewed me in order to form a Mark on me. After we Marked each other, that's when everything fell apart."

"Why?" Weiss asked, not sure if she wanted the answer.

After a few seconds, Blake forced herself to look at her Mates, needing to see their eyes as she explained. "Because of what I felt from him. When I Marked you three… well, obviously, we didn't exactly go the traditional route." To her relief, her feeble attempt humor managed to get a crooked smile from Yang, and elicit a blush from Ruby and Weiss. "When you Mark someone for the first time, it takes a while before you're able to feel your partner's emotions. Your aura has to adjust and settle to the intrusion of someone else' aura. None of you noticed that because your auras settled while you slept."

"For me and Adam, it was different. We Marked each other in the morning of that day, and it took till mid-afternoon for us to fully feel each other. When we could…" Blake shuddered, her voice growing thick. "Right after we Marked each other, Adam got word that there was something big coming to the area: an SDC cargo train full of Dust."

The sheer shock and disbelief she felt from Weiss came as no surprise. Blake's amber eyes met wide crystal blue, taking note of how Weiss' mouth had fallen open in shock. A silent question came across the Link, a need for confirmation. Blake gave a slow nod. Weiss' mouth clicked shut, her lips twisting into a grimace. To Blake's slight relief, Weiss' displeasure was tempered with a sense of grim acceptance, the heiress nodding for her to go on.

"Adam and I went alone. 'Our first outing as an item', he called it. All the way there, I kept trying to reach out through the Link, to try and connect with him. It wasn't until we were already fighting the train's defenses that my aura settled."

Blake paused, contemplating. "He felt… cold. When I touched his aura, it was like… there was nothing there. Some basic excitement from the fighting, satisfaction, but… nothing deeper. He was… hollow. At least until… we found the Dust car. Once we'd secured the car, I thought we would just separate the cars, coast to a stop until we could call for a pick-up. Instead… Adam started handing me explosives."

"Whoa…" Yang interrupted, eyes wide. "I don't remember hearing about a train  _exploding_. Even in Patch, we would have heard of that!"

Blake nodded. "You're right. You would have. It would have been the biggest attack on the SDC to date, which I'm sure is what Adam was going for."

"But that didn't happen," Weiss stated, baffled.

Blake shook her head. "No. When Adam told me to start planting charges, I asked what we should do about the train's crew. He said… 'What about them?'"

For the first time since Blake had started her tale, her expression turned to anger. "He was  _happy_. There were almost  _twenty_  people on that train, and the mere idea of all those humans dying horribly thrilled him. He was going to kill them all…" Her hands unconsciously fisted up. "And he was going to enjoy it."

It got quiet as her words sank in. Weiss was staring at Blake with a look of horror. The idea that someone she cared about was connected to someone so vile was unnerving. That Blake had been so close to someone like that… Weiss felt a type of fear she hadn't known existed as she considered what Blake's life must have been like with such a man.

Yang just looked at her, a despondent frown on her lips. Behind her concern, fresh fury sparked to life. She remembered Blake's breakdown two days prior, how the Faunus' response to whether her former would-be Mate had hurt her had been that soul-tearing murmur of "not physically." To Yang, that didn't matter. Physically or not, this Adam had hurt her Blake. If she ever met this guy, Yang was going to hurt  _him._  End of story.

Ruby bit her lip. At that moment, the only thing the little leader wanted to do was wrap Blake in the tightest hug she could muster and never let go. The only thing stopping her from doing so was the mix of hesitance and determination she felt from Blake. She could feel how hard it was for Blake to tell them all of this, but the Faunus wanted to tell them. Ruby didn't want to risk whatever nerve Blake had gained in order to tell them her past. "What did you do?" she asked quietly.

Blake met her silver eyes. After a moment, her hands unclenched, lying limply in her lap as she looked down at them. "There was one last piece of security on the train… some kind of weird spider mech. Adam gave me the charges, and told me to start planting them while he took it down. I went to the next car and…" She took a shuddering breath. "I couldn't do it. I couldn't keep following him. Adam… he wasn't the person I knew before. Looking back, I think I'd started noticing beforehand. I just refused to acknowledge it. But at that moment… I had a direct Link with his soul. I got a good look at who he really was, what made him what he is. And what I saw… terrified me.

"I didn't think. I didn't have the time. I stood there on that flatbed, and I heard Adam destroy the mech behind me. I knew he was going to follow me up the train, so… I turned around and disconnected the cars. The train pulled away as the car he was on slowed down. I could feel it, the shock he felt as she watched me go. But as soon as he processed what had happened…"

Blake's voice cracked. She swallowed a few times, taking one shaky breath after another. "He was so angry. It… it was like he was screaming in my mind, howling with rage. As soon as the train stopped, I ran. I didn't think about where I was going, I didn't even have a place  _to_  go. I just needed to  _get away_."

"Seven days. His Mark lasted for seven days. I couldn't sleep, I barely ate. I just  _ran_. Because every  _second_ , I could feel it, the never-ending rage across the Link. I didn't stop, just running from town to town. Somehow, I ended up in Vale, back at the harbor." She paused, clenching her eyes shut. "I almost did it. I wanted nothing more than to buy a ticket and go back to Menagerie. But… I couldn't face them. How could I? How could I tell them about everything I'd done in the White Fang? How could I tell my father what I had let the White Fang become? That Adam and I…" She let out a trembling breath. "They'd hate me."

The room went silent. Blake took a few deep breaths to calm herself. She felt a line of water run down her face, a tear spilling from her eye without her noticing. She quickly wiped it away, willing her tears away.

"I really doubt that."

Blake started, turning her head to face Yang. The blonde frowned at her, her expression soft. "It ain't like you meant for any of this to happen. Yeah, ya screwed up, but… you really think your folks would hate you for this?"

Blake swallowed. "Why wouldn't they? My dad spent his whole life building up the White Fang, and Adam tore it all down in three years… and I helped him do it."

"When was the last time you talked to them?" Ruby asked quietly.

Blake thought for a moment. "About… ten months ago. After I was sure Adam didn't know where I was, I worked up the nerve to call home. My mom answered. I… I couldn't tell her what had really happened. I told her I wanted to try something different, separate to the Fang. I had the idea to become a real Huntress, and enroll at Beacon. She was… surprisingly okay with it. She wished me luck… told me she'd be proud of me no matter what I did… and… that was the last time I spoke to her."

Yang let out a long breath. "Geez… almost a year? That… really sucks, Blake."

Ruby let out a little whine of a hum, looking more than a little upset. "Are… are you sure you don't want to call them? They probably miss you."

Blake grimaced, meeting Ruby's silver eyes. "And I miss them, Ruby. But… I just can't face them, not after everything Adam and I did. I can't face them until I've dealt with the White Fang."

"Wait, 'dealt with'?" Weiss repeated, startled out of her deep musings. "Blake… the White Fang is huge! You can't just deal with them by yourself!"

Blake stared back at her, defiantly. "I have to! No one knows the White Fang like I do. No one else knows how they operate. Except now, they're changing. More brazen robberies, becoming more violent; working with that Torchwick guy? Adam's White Fang has  _never_  worked with humans, let alone taken orders from one. If I wait too long, what I know about the White Fang could be useless. They're getting ready for something big, and no one seems to be doing anything about it!"

Weiss flinched back as Blake's voice rose to a near yell. The worry, the fear, the sheer desperation Blake was feeling at that moment washed over her like a raging river. Ruby and Yang reacted similarly, Ruby biting her lip as she felt Blake's emotions.

Weiss met Blake's intense stare with her own. Then she sighed, crossing her arms. "So what do you suggest we do, Blake? We're students, still learning. Even if you have inside information, we can't take on an army by ourselves."

Blake's ears dipped down at her words. Nice as the thought was, she knew an outright fight against the White Fang would be suicide. That's not even to mention Adam. One-on-one, she had no doubts who would win in that fight. Then she had a mental image of, instead of fighting him herself, it was  _Ruby_  trying to fight Adam. Then she pictured Yang… then Weiss…

A shiver went down her spine, her stomach turning cold. Forget the White Fang, just Adam by himself would be more than a match for any of them.

Rather than a sigh, it was a feline whine that escaped past Blake's lips as she crossed her arms, same as Weiss, glaring down at the ground. "I know. But if I just knew what they were doing… It would be a start, at least."

"Well," Ruby started. "Why don't we do that? The White Fang are somewhere in Vale, right? Why don't we find them and spy on them?"

Weiss sighed. "Ruby, all the law enforcement in Vale are trying to do that right now, with no success. What luck would the four of us have to do what they can't?"

"Well, I think it's worth a shot," Yang said, her trademark grin slowly spreading across her face. "I could ask around some of the nightclubs I go to. Someone might know where to find this Torchwick guy."

Weiss raised an eyebrow at the blonde, looking both amused and exasperated. "I should really be more surprised that your local hangout might know where a known criminal is." Yang's grin just grew, and Weiss shook her head. She focused back on Blake. "I suppose I could try and access the SDC records. Maybe I could see if they've found something we don't know about."

Blake's ears perked up a little, surprise and gratitude coming off her. "I can ask around and see when the next White Fang rally is. If I'm lucky, they might say something about their future plans."

"Alright!" Ruby clapped her hands together, jumping up from her chair. "We have a plan! Team RWBY is going to be the youngest group of Huntresses in history ever to take down a scary terrorist organization!"

Weiss rolled her eyes at Ruby's excitement. "I'm pretty sure we'd be the only group of Huntresses to ever pull something like that off."

"Even better!" Ruby beamed.

Weiss just sighed, a fond smile on her lips. "Well, if we're going to do this, I want to have a bit more to the plan than what we have." She pulled out her scroll and started typing.

"Oh! Good idea." Ruby went to do the same, then started to frantically pat at her pockets. "Uh… where's my scroll?"

Weiss huffed in exasperation. "When was the last time you used it?"

Ruby thought for a moment. "Um… Oh! When we were in the library." A few seconds ticked past, before Ruby's eyes widened in a panic. "I left my scroll in the library!" Without another word, she ran out of the room. There was a loud thud from down the hall, Ruby's voice echoing as she exclaimed. "Whoops! Sorry!"

Weiss rolled her eyes again, still staring at her scroll. "That girl, I swear…" Her air of indifference was ruined by the small, upward curve of her lips as she typed away at her scroll.

Blake watched all this with a smile on her face. The way Ruby and Weiss interacted was entertaining before, but now that she could feel what they did, it added a whole new layer to how Blake saw them. Ruby's genuineness to everything she did, the way Weiss tried to be annoyed by everything she did.

A small nudge on her arm drew Blake's attention to the girl beside her. Yang had a small smile on her face.

"What?"

Instead of answering, Yang leaned in close, surprising Blake with a kiss. After a brief moment, Blake returned it, her eyes sliding closed.

Across the room, Weiss looked up from her scroll, feeling the sudden spike of contentment from the partners. Her eyes widened in surprise at the sight of them kissing. Strangely, while she expected to feel jealousy or the like, Weiss only felt contentedness herself, as if the fact that they were happy made her happy as well. Her eyes went back to her scroll, save a chancing glance at them one last time.

The two pulled away after a few seconds. Blake, her cheeks warm, tilted her head slightly, asking a silent question.

Yang gave a half-smile, draping her arm across Blake's shoulders. "Looked like you could use a pick-me-up."

Blake smiled back, leaning into Yang's side. For a few moments, the only sound in the room was the tapping of Weiss' fingers on her scroll.

"So," Yang started. "If we fix this whole White Fang thing, you going to call your parents?"

Blake's ears lowered slightly, a familiar ache forming in her chest at the thought of her parents. "If we can clean up the mess Adam and I made… then, maybe… I hope so."

Yang nodded, agreeing. "Good." Her grin suddenly widened, turning into a mischievous smirk. "'Cause I'd like to meet me and Ruby's new in-laws."

There was a sudden clattering sound from across the room. Weiss stared at the partners with wide eyes, her scroll having slipped from her fingers. "In-laws?" she asked, her voice rising a few octaves.

"In-laws?" Blake echoed faintly, her ears drooping as low as they could as she pulled slightly away from Yang.

At their reaction, Yang let out a sheepish laugh, rubbing at the back of her head. "Well, Blake, you _did_  say that Mating is kind of the Faunus equivalent to getting engaged. That means your parents are our in-laws now… right?"

Blake swallowed. Through everything,  _that_  thought had somehow slipped her mind. But now that Yang mentioned it… "Well… in a way…"

"Oh…" Weiss buried her head in her hands, letting out a helpless whimper. "Oh no…"

"Weiss?" Blake asked, confused by her action. "What's wrong?"

Weiss pulled her head up, fixing Blake with a rather blank look. "Blake you're the princess of Menagerie, right?"

Blake growled slightly, her ears pinning back. "I am  _not-_ "

"I know what you said!" Weiss half-shouted, cutting off Blake's indignant insistence. "But to the world at large, that's what they'd see you as, right?"

Blake gave a grunt of annoyance. "Most likely," she relented, reluctantly. "Why?"

Weiss' expression morphed into a helpless grimace. "Blake… the princess of Menagerie… the Faunus safe-haven… is  _engaged_ … to the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company."

It took a moment for Weiss' words to really sink in. When they did, Blake's eyes widened as much as they could, her ears standing straight up on her head. Yang looked between them both, shock on her face as if she was just realizing the full implications of what Weiss said. And though Weiss hadn't said it out loud, it didn't stop Blake from realizing.

The Chieftain of Menagerie now had a Schnee for a daughter-in-law.

Yang summed it all up nicely.

"Well… this just got a lot more complicated."

* * *

**Unknown Location**

Roman Torchwick looked around the warehouse, watching as various White Fang grunts scurried from place to place, setting the stage for the next day's rally. He turned around, looking up at a large form, covered in a massive sheet.

 _Tougher armor, stronger servos… not to mention all my little_ additions _, hehehe…_

Roman smirked at the thought. He was almost hoping things would go wrong, just to give him an excuse.

_Okay, Little Red, Kitty Cat. Hit me with your best shot. I'm ready for ya this time._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you read this chapter first over on FF, you may have noticed I changed around a few things. After lengthy consideration (like, ever since volume 4 happened), I changed a bit of the dialogue Blake has about her parents. I usually don't like retconing my work like that, but this is something that has been bugging me for literal years, and now that I'm cross-posting on here on Ao3, this felt like a good time to do something about it. Sorry if it's caused any confusion.


	4. Information Gathering, Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betaed by Ril_Locke [(Covert Weapon)](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/926755/Covert-Weapon)
> 
> [LiLaL's TV Tropes Page](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/LinkedInLifeAndLove)
> 
> [Cross-posted on FF.net](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11689623/27/Linked-in-Life-and-Love)

 

**Beacon Entrance**

"Ugh, I thought that class would never end," Blake groaned as she adjusted the wraps on her arm. The four Mates made their way through the halls of Beacon, each checking over their weapons and equipment.

Walking beside her, Ruby fussed with her scarf, trying her hardest to get it to sit right. "I know, right? I mean, why do we need a Grimm Studies class every other weekend- oh, dang it!"

"You need some help there Sis?" Yang asked as she slipped Ember Celica onto her arms, a smirk in her voice.

"No, no, I almost got it! I just need… maybe… okay, yes," Ruby muttered dejectedly, her arms hanging limply in defeat as her new scarf hung undone around her neck.

Yang chuckled, then went to help her sister. The group came to a stop just inside the courtyard as Yang wrapped and rewrapped the scarf around Ruby's neck, the younger girl craning her neck to give her sister space. Weiss rolled her eyes, then kept reading the checklist she'd made on her scroll.

Blake shook her head at their antics. Ruby had had the idea that they all needed "stealth outfits" for when they were searching Vale for clues about the White Fang and Roman Torchwick. Weiss hadn't seen much point to it, but to her surprise, Blake had agreed. Her usual outfit was the same one she'd worn during her time with the White Fang, so a change of clothes made sense, just in case someone she knew was at the rally. Yang hadn't really cared one way or the other, though, after hearing Blake's reasoning, she agreed on the outfit change, much to Ruby's joy.

They'd each done some digging through their belongings and managed to throw together some new outfits from what they had, save Blake, who hadn't come to Beacon with much more than a few changes to her usual clothes. Thankfully, Weiss had a white jacket that fit Blake perfectly.

Honestly, for being thrown together at the last minute, Blake had to admit that her Mates' new outfits were pretty good. Though, she had a feeling that Yang's jacket didn't have to be  _quite_  that tight… and the smirk Yang sent her when she was caught staring confirmed it for her.

The only issue was Ruby's. The little leader wanted to wear a scarf with her outfit, one that matched her cloak. The problem was, once she put it on, the scarf completely covered her Mate's Mark. For Ruby, this was a crisis.

"You don't  _have_  to show your Mate's Mark off, Ruby," Blake reminded her for the third time. "It's just something some Faunus like to do."  _Myself included,_  she added silently in her head.

"Yeah," Ruby conceded. "But you said they show off their Marks because they're happy they got it, right? Well, I'm happy to have it, and I want them all to know it!"

Blake couldn't stop the slight grin forming on her lips. Happiness and contentedness came off of her, easily picked up by the three. Ruby smiled at having made Blake so happy.

Yang, however, was frowning. "Well, I hate to tell ya, Rubes, but that ain't happening if you try and wear this thing." She pulled the offending scarf off of Ruby's neck, giving up her fight with it. "It's just too big."

Ruby pouted, taking the scarf from Yang. "Aww… But it looked so cool!"

"Do you even need a scarf?" Weiss asked, looking up from her scroll. "It's not that cold out."

Ruby slumped a little, feeling bashful as she stuffed the scarf into her back pocket. "Well… no… but it looked cool!"

Yang snorted, fighting a smile. Weiss raised an eyebrow at her, then groaned. "Puns…" she grumbled. Then she turned serious, looking over her team. "Okay, so everyone knows where they're going?"

Ruby nodded, a confident smile on her face. "Yep. Me and you are going to go to the CCT tower and get all the info the SDC has on the White Fang."

"There should be a White Fang recruitment rally downtown tonight," Blake said. "I'll mingle with the crowd and see if I hear anything of interest."

"And I'll head down to my usual nightclub," Yang added. "See if I can find anything out on this Torchwick guy." A sudden sense of worry drew her attention to the girl next to her, finding worried blue eyes staring at her. "Something wrong, Weiss?"

Weiss stiffened at the attention. "Nothing."

Yang frowned, putting her hands on her hips. "It's something. What?"

Weiss' eyes darted back to Yang, then to Blake. "Nothing, I just…" She sighed, averting her gaze. "I looked up where that nightclub is. It's in one of the riskier parts of the city."

Yang tilted her head. "Yeah. And? That's what makes it so fun to go to!"

Weiss bit her lip nervously. "But… is it safe?"

Yang blinked. She crossed her arms, a small smirk forming on her lips. "Weiss, I can bench 850 and punch Grimm into powder. I can handle myself if some morons try to pull something." Weiss didn't look convinced, so Yang added, "You guys are gonna meet me there afterwards anyway. It'll be fine."

Weiss' frown lessened slightly, Yang's bright smile giving the heiress a bit more confidence. That confidence came crashing down the moment she turned to Blake, her trepidation felt by all. "What about you, Blake? Are you sure you'll be okay going to that rally… alone?"

Blake mirrored Weiss' worried expression for a moment, before giving her a reassuring smile. "I'll be okay, Weiss. Everyone will be wearing masks, myself included. Even if someone I know  _is_  there, they won't notice me once I'm in the crowd."

"Besides," Yang piped in. "If Blake's right about where the rally is, it'll be just a couple blocks from the nightclub. Something happens to either of us, the other will be right there to back them up."

Weiss nodded, conceding the point, but still held her frown. "I know that. It's the fact that something  _could_  happen to you two that worries me. I just…" She huffed, her brow wrinkling in thought. "I don't like you two going off by yourselves."

Yang held in a groan. "We'll be  _fine_ , Weiss. Sheesh, I didn't peg you as the mother hen type."

She instantly regretted her dismissive words when Weiss glared at her, her anger spiking. "Well forgive me for wanting the few people important to me to stay safe!"

Yang quickly backtracked, throwing her hands up in defense. "Hey, I didn't mean it like that! I just…"

"Whoa, time out!" Ruby suddenly flashed between the two, holding her arms out to separate them. She'd stayed quiet as the three had talked, figuring that Blake and Yang could handle Weiss' worries themselves, but between Weiss' anger and Yang's telltale signs of being about to go on the defensive, Ruby had to stop this before it began. A Weiss/Yang argument could last hours, and they didn't have time for that right now. Plus, she doubted Weiss would like to make a scene with so many people around.

Turning to Weiss, Ruby said, "Weiss, Yang has been going to this club for a while now. She knows her way around it. And Blake knows the White Fang. If she thinks she'll be okay on her own, we should trust her. Right?"

Weiss hesitated, surprised by Ruby's interruption. She scowled for a moment, before her face softened to a pout. She crossed her arms, looking down. "I suppose…"

Ruby smiled brightly. "Yeah. And besides," she put a finger to her temple, tapping it. "It's not like they'd be completely alone, right?"

Weiss blinked. She was confused for a moment, then realized: the Link. With it, she would know her girlfriend's emotions at any time. She'd… always be with them. A warm feeling built in her chest at the thought.

Uncrossing her arms, Weiss gave a small, sheepish smile. "I'm being silly, aren't I?"

Blake smiled, shaking her head. "Not really. You're just worried about us. Just trust that we know what we're doing, okay?"

Yang grinned, tussling Weiss' hair a little. "We'll be okay, Weiss. It's cute that you care, though."

Weiss huffed, batting away at Yang's hand, but nodded all the same. "Fine. I still wish you had someone to go with you, but if you're sure you'll both be okay… I suppose I'll get over it."

Ruby nodded. "Okay then, if that's taken care of, then let's get out there and find those bad guys!"

" _Yeah! Let's… whoa."_

Ruby blinked at the sudden shout behind her, as did the rest of her team. All four of them turned towards the voice.

* * *

**Moments Earlier**

"It's unfair, I tell you! Completely unfair!"

The eyes of passersby were drawn to the constant shouting of the young man walking up one of Beacon's many paths away from the cafeteria. He had his hands stuffed in his pockets, his head down as his blond-furred monkey tail swept from side to side in agitation.

"Yes, yes, I figured that out the first dozen times you told me," said the blue-haired boy walking beside him, exasperation clear in his voice.

Sun shot Neptune a brief glare of annoyance. "Well, it is! What did I do to deserve being put under house arrest? Name one thing, just one!"

Neptune raised an eyebrow at his friend and leader, a look that clearly asked 'are you serious?' "Well, let's see," he started, counting each point off on his fingers. "You left the school without permission, you broke into a restricted part of the harbor, stowed away illegally on a cargo ship, evaded police…"

Sun's shoulders slumped, lowering a little bit more with each point. "I only asked for one…"

Neptune continued like Sun hadn't said anything. "Broke into the restricted part of  _another_  harbor, got into an unauthorized fight with known criminals…"

"Hey, that one shouldn't count! Besides, Blake and Ruby were there, too, and I doubt they got locked in a hotel with the Haven faculty for a week!"

Neptune fixed Sun with a stern glare. "Probably because they didn't go around bragging to every classmate they came across about how they took on a terrorist organization and 'won'. Which did not happen, by the way, since you told me it was some girl with magic swords and laser beams that took them down." He let out a breath, trying to calm himself. "Sun, you're lucky it was just a week. By all rights, you should have been kicked out of the tournament, if not expelled."

Sun rolled his eyes, a small smirk worming its way onto his face. "Wow, Nep, glad to know you care about my education."

Neptune responded with a smirk of his own. "Me, care? Naw. You're our team leader. You get kicked out, the rest of us can't compete."

Sun snorted. "Yeah, yeah. So, I miss anything during my stay at Hotel Haven?"

Neptune shrugged. "Not really, but I haven't exactly been socializing with the Beacon students. Mostly just stayed in the Haven dorms, reading up on the Festival."

Sun let out a groan. "Well, that sucks. Guess I'll just have to ask Blake myself."

"Ask her what?"

"About when we're going to go after that Torchwick guy."

Neptune blinked. "Oh." They walked a few more steps, before Neptune came to a screeching halt, a baffled look on his face. "Wait, what?! Sun, you  _just_  got back from a suspension because you fought that guy. Why the hell are you going to do it again?"

Sun shrugged, not even stopping as he continued up the path. "Why not? There's something weird going on with the White Fang and this guy, and I want to know what it is. Plus, it sure beats sitting around until the Festival starts."

Neptune let out a groan, sprinting to keep up. "Oh, yeah," he drawled, voice thick with sarcasm. "Tracking down a mobster and his legion of Faunus cultists. Sounds like a real blast."

Sun slapped Neptune on the back, grinning widely. "Glad you agree. Thanks for volunteering!"

Neptune's eyes widened, a sharp denial on his lips. His mouth soon snapped shut, his eyes narrowing as he glared at Sun. "I'm not getting out of this, am I?"

Sun just smirked. "What do you think?"

Neptune just groaned.

A small chuckle came from Sun. "Hey, look at it this way: either everything will go great, which is more likely to happen if you help, or we'll both get kicked out of the tournament, which would have happened anyway if I got in trouble by myself.

Neptune stared at Sun, his left eye twitching. Then he pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to ward off his oncoming headache. "We get caught, Scarlet and Sage are going to kill you," he said simply.

Sun laughed it off. "Aw, they'll be fine. Now, I think Blake said her dorm was on the third floor…"

Neptune gave the surrounding buildings an appraising look. "Yeah, that's not really specific." While he had to admit Beacon was impressive to look at, for the life of him, Neptune couldn't tell one building from another. And they were all huge. Finding one dorm room out of the likely hundreds in the surrounding buildings would take forever.

Sun just shrugged again. "She said there was a tree across from her window. That should make things easier."

Neptune gave the grounds another once-over, focusing on the building they were walking beside. There were trees everywhere, plenty of which were near various windows.  _I doubt it…_  Neptune thought to himself as they neared a turn around the building's corner, dreading the likelihood of chasing Sun all over the campus in the search of the Team RWBY dorm. And knowing Sun, he'd probably have Neptune do something weird, like climb the outside of the building to search.

_It wouldn't be the first time._

He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard Sun start mumbling to himself. "Now, where to start looking… maybe-"

" _Well, forgive me for wanting the few people important to me to stay safe!"_

They both froze at the sudden yell, just steps away from rounding the corner.

"...right around the corner," Sun finished, blinking. He gave a bemused grin. "Well, that was easy." He went to keep walking, when Neptune grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back.

"Uh, Sun, if I'm not mistaken, that sounded like Weiss, and she does  _not_  sound happy. Maybe we should try this later?"

Sun waved him off. "Nep, relax. If it's really a bad time, the worst they can do is tell us to get lost."

"Yeah, but-" Before Neptune could continue, Sun pulled away from him and nearly sprinted around the corner. He could only sigh as he moved to keep up. "This is gonna end badly," he mumbled to himself as he shook his head.

Sun rounded the corner, nearly colliding with a group of Beacon students that chose just that moment to do the same. He quickly dodged out of the way, shouting a quick apology when he nearly collided with a brown-haired rabbit Faunus. Ignoring the dirty look he got from the beret-wearing girl next to her, Sun scanned the courtyard for the source of the yell he'd heard. To his relief, he found the whole of Team RWBY, standing off to the side of the building's entrance. He started over to them right when he heard Ruby's happy shout.

" _Okay then, if that's taken care of, then let's get out there and find those bad guys!"_

Sun's grin grew.  _Wow, talk about perfect timing._  "Yeah!" he shouted, laughing internally as he pictured the surprised looks he'd likely get. "Let's…"

His grin quickly faded away, his mirth turning into shock.

"...whoa," he breathed out, his voice faint.

The four girls turned to face him, and Sun could only stare dumbly back at them.

The first thing he noticed was Blake's ears. Specifically, her Faunus ears, which were currently on full display, no bow in sight, right in plain view of the rather crowded courtyard. Given what he'd learned about Blake the previous month, that alone would have been enough to give him pause. However, what Sun  _saw_  took an immediate back seat to what he  _felt_.

The moment Sun laid eyes on Blake, his shoulders suddenly felt heavier. It was as if someone had come up behind him and clasped him on the shoulders, ready to lead him away from where he was at a moment's notice. It was a feeling he had felt dozens of times throughout his life, especially since he started spending time in big cities where there were more and more people around. On instinct, his eyes flicked towards Blake's neck. Sure enough, there was a multi-colored design on her skin that had not been there the previous week.

_She's… already Mated to someone. Well… dammit…_

Sun felt his stomach sink, his shoulders slumping. He knew it'd been a long shot, especially given Blake's reluctance to let people in, and the fact she'd made it clear that they were just friends. But there was a large part of him that couldn't help but be attracted to the cat Faunus. He'd been hoping that once she'd gotten to know him a little better, she'd be willing to give him a shot.

 _So much for that…_  he thought to himself dejectedly.

"Sun?"

The surprised, somewhat concerned call of his name pulled Sun out of his thoughts. He blinked, suddenly finding amber eyes staring into his own.

Blake was frowning at him, looking concerned. Once he met her gaze, Blake tilted her head in confusion, then, her eyes widened. Her features softened in understanding, then she looked at him almost… apologetic?

After a second, Sun groaned internally.  _Crap, I must have had some look on my face_. Thinking fast, Sun flashed her his usual grin, nodding to her. She had nothing to apologize for. It wasn't like he had said anything to her, not seriously. It stung a bit, no doubt, but that wasn't her fault.  _Though, now I'm curious. I wonder who…?_

Unconsciously, Sun's eyes drifted to the side, landing on Yang… and quickly had that feeling in his shoulders again.

 _Oh…,_  he thought in surprise, once his eyes landed on the same Mark Blake had.  _Well… they are partners, so I guess that makes sense… Didn't think Blake swung that way, though._

"Are you okay, Sun?"

Once again pulled from his thoughts, Sun turned towards the lighter voice. "Yeah, sorry about that Ruuuu…." He trailed off, staring at the young leader in shock.

_Uh… okay… That's different. Blake has more than one Mate? Didn't see that coming. I didn't even know she and Ruby were that close. Though, Ruby was the one who showed up a the docks, so maybe they're closer than I thought… wait…_

Ignoring the odd look Ruby was giving him, Sun looked closer at the Mate's Mark on her neck, really analyzing it. Now that he could see it up close, he could tell that it was mostly made up of four different symbols. Three of them were vaguely familiar to him, having only taken notice of them once or twice, but it was the fourth one that he recognized instantly. Not too difficult, seeing as how that particular symbol was slapped onto everything from bullets to toothpaste.

 _No way._  Slowly, Sun turned his head towards the last member of Team RWBY, meeting the impatient stare of Weiss Schnee, who had her arms crossed in annoyance.

The same Weiss Schnee that had the same Mark as the rest of her team. The same Weiss Schnee that was giving off a very familiar feeling as he stared at her.

Weiss Schnee was a Faunus' Mate.

Weiss Schnee was  _Blake's_  Mate.

_...okay, now I'm just lost._

"Uh, dude? You okay?"

Sun pulled his eyes slowly away from Weiss, finding that Neptune had caught up to him and was looking at him like he'd lost it.

Sun stared at Neptune for a moment, then looked back at the four girls. After a few seconds, he asked Neptune, "I was only gone a week...right?"

Neptune nodded warily, still eyeing his friend and partner. "Yeah…"

Sun kept staring at him, then slowly focused back on Team RWBY.

_...must have been one hell of a week._

Sun rubbed the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly. "Hehe… sorry about that. Just kinda… surprised me there."

To his immense relief, Yang smirked, letting out a laugh. "Yeah, we've kinda been getting that all day."

"Getting what?" Neptune asked with a frown. Between the way Sun was acting and how the looks they were getting from the girls of Team RWBY (seriously,  _why_  was Weiss glaring at Sun like he just made a bad joke?), he had the distinct feeling that he was missing something.

Sun looked back at him, his expression indecisive as his eyes flicked between Neptune and Blake. "Uh... " After a moment, Blake gave him a small nod, confusing Neptune even more.  _Since when does Sun take cues from Blake?_  Sun, however, still seemed a bit lost himself, so he leaned over and whispered to Neptune, "It's a Faunus thing. I'll explain later."

"Ohh... " Neptune droned, understanding… well, sorta. Never having been around Faunus much before meeting Sun, Neptune had fallen into the occasional social pitfall when certain subjects came up. Luckily, Sun was usually there to explain things… unluckily, it was usually  _after_  he'd already accidentally insulted someone, but still, points for trying.

Sun, his usual grin back in place, put his hands on his hips as he turned to address the girls. "So, what's this I hear about 'finding those bad guys?' 'Cause, if it's what I think it is, we want in!"

"We?" Neptune muttered, sending a halfhearted glare at Sun, which was promptly ignored.

Blake frowned at him. "Sun, we already have everything planned out, for just the  _four_ of us." She put extra emphasis on word 'four', her eyes narrowing dangerously.

Sun felt a small chill go up his spine. He'd been on the receiving end of  _that_  tone of voice more than once, one that clearly stated, 'This is Mates business, back off'. It rarely, if ever, turned out well for him.

Still, thin ice or not, he wasn't ready to back down just yet. "So, you have a plan that's completely safe, no danger whatsoever?"

The answer he got nearly made him bust out laughing. Blake's ears dipped down a bit, her eyes widening ever so slightly. Weiss frowned, biting her lip as her eyes flicked between Blake and Yang. Ruby rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, looking off to the side. Yang just crossed her arms, looking annoyed.

"It's safe…ish," Ruby eventually said.

Sun raised an eyebrow. "Uh huh. So there's no denying that more people would make it safe _r_."

Blake let out a huff, a pleading look in her eye. "We were hoping not to involve our friends in this, Sun."

Sun couldn't help but scoff. "You kidding? Charging headlong into danger is the perfect time to involve friends. Why do you think I brought Neptune?" He jerked his thumb towards said friend, who scowled halfheartedly at him, but nodded in agreement nonetheless. "Besides, in case you forgot, I was at the docks that night, too." Sun's eyes went towards the sky as he remembered. "Between you, me, and Ruby, we got our butts kicked. Might've been kicked permanently if that girl with all the swords hadn't been there." Then he blinked, realizing something. "Whatever happened to her, anyway?"

It was Ruby who shrugged at him, frowning. "Dunno. Penny disappeared after the fight, and I haven't seen her since."

Sun hummed. "Bummer. But still, my point stands. C'mon, guys. Strength in numbers, teamwork, all that jazz?"

It was silent for a moment. Then, strangely, Ruby, Blake, and Yang all turned towards Weiss. The heiress glanced between them all, biting her lip nervously. Blake and Ruby turned thoughtful, while Yang let out a frustrated groan. "Really, Weiss?"

The heiress pouted, her eyes soft. "Please, Yang?"

Yang held her gaze for a few seconds. Then she let out a sigh, hanging her head. "Dust dammit," she muttered to herself. She raised her head, her annoyance clear. "Fine! If it really makes you feel better, Weiss, someone can tag along with me." Her annoyance abated slightly when Weiss gave her a grateful smile. Yang rolled her eyes, a small half-smile forming.

Neptune looked between the two of them, baffled.  _What just happened?_  He went to ask Sun if he knew what was going on, but when his friend caught his gaze, he just mouthed "later." That just made Neptune even more confused, but he left it alone for the moment.

Speaking to the group as a whole, Yang asked. "So, what's the plan now?"

Blake still looked unsure, but after a moment's contemplation, she nodded. "We stick to the old plan, just now we'll be in teams of two. Ruby and Weiss will go to the CCT. Since he's the only other Faunus, Sun can come with me to the White Fang rally and gather information. That okay?" she asked Sun, focusing on him.

A sly smirk formed on Sun's lips. "Go undercover to a secret terrorist meetup? Sounds like fun!"

Yang nodded, then turned to Neptune. "Guess that means you're with me. Quick question: do you like motorcycles?"

Neptune blinked at the apparently random question. "Uh… what?"

In answer, Yang grinned in a way that reminded Neptune  _way_  too much of when Sun got one of his 'great' ideas. He gulped.  _What has Sun gotten me into?_

Ruby clapped, beaming. "Great! Now, let's get started!" Hopping from foot to foot, Ruby took off down the path at a speed just under running.

Weiss let out an exasperated sigh. "Ruby! Wait for me!" Before she left, Weiss turned back to the others, focusing on Sun and Neptune. She hesitated for a moment, before softly asking. "Watch out for Yang and Blake… please?"

Neptune blinked. Given what little he'd known about the Schnee family, he'd expected Weiss to be businesslike and professional all the time. But the clear concern in her voice… it was kind of endearing. Cute even.

Behind him, Sun gave Weiss a thumbs-up. "No problem, boss! I'll bring her back the same as she is." Blake rolled her eyes at him, arms crossed. She smiled at Weiss, nodding.

Neptune nodded as well. "I'll watch her back. You can count on me." For good measure, he winked at her.

Weiss blinked at him in surprise. Her cheeks tinted slightly. "U-um… thanks!" she stammered out. Then she took off after Ruby, who had become just a red dot in the distance.

Neptune looked after her, confused.  _That… wasn't quite the reaction I was expecting._

"Oh, dude…"

Neptune turned around at Sun's resigned voice. The monkey Faunus was shaking his head, hand slapped over his face. Neptune tilted his head at him.

_What? What'd I do?_

A sudden chill went up his spine. Looking away from Sun, he found Blake and Yang glaring at him. Their happy smiles were gone, replaced with sharp frowns as their eyes bored into him. What freaked him out the most was how Blake's eyes were now slitted, while Yang's burned red.

With quick stiff steps, Yang walked towards him and grabbed him by the arm, dragging him towards the airfield. "C'mon. We have to grab my bike," she growled out, her voice leaving no room for debate.

Neptune let out a quick "whoa!" as Yang nearly pulled his arms out of its socket. As he was dragged off, he looked back towards Sun for aid. Sun just shrugged helplessly. "Good luck, dude!" he called out, smiling sheepishly.

Neptune just glared at him.


	5. Information Gathering, Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betaed by Ril_Locke [(Covert Weapon)](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/926755/Covert-Weapon)
> 
> [LiLaL'S TV Tropes Page](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/LinkedInLifeAndLove)
> 
> [Cross-posted on FF.net](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11689623/28/Linked-in-Life-and-Love)

 

**The Streets of Vale**

_Sun, I hate you so much right now._

Neptune clung for dear life to the blonde in front of him as the world passed by in a blur. In any other situation, holding a girl this close would be a dream come true. Blasting down the highway at twice the legal limit, however, kind of stole away any enjoyment he might have had.

Not helped that Yang drove like a complete psycho! Ever since they hit the road, Yang hadn't stayed in the same lane any longer than a few seconds, weaving through traffic like everyone else was standing still. Why the cops hadn't stopped them yet would forever be a mystery.

A sudden jerk of the handlebars sent Yang's motorcycle hurtling to the right, and Neptune could have sworn he felt the bike leave the ground for a second. He clenched his eyes shut as he heard a horn blare for just a second before it faded into the distance.

_This girl is trying to kill me._

To Neptune, there was no question about it: for some reason, Yang hated him. It was the only explanation for why she was putting him through the bike ride from hell. She didn't even give him a helmet!

_Seriously, what did I DO?!_

Tires screeched as the bike made a sharp turn. More horns. Neptune would have lost his lunch if he hadn't left his stomach about five miles behind.

_Will this ever end?!_

_**Screech!** _

Suddenly, Neptune felt all his weight get thrown forward.

_**Thud!** _

Neptune saw stars as his head collided with the back of Yang's helmet. Between the impact and the sudden stop, he lost all sense of balance, falling sideways off the bike. Completely dazed, he stared up at the spinning blue sky, the occasional cloud drifting by.

 _Oh, look!_ He thought as his frazzled mind tried to reboot.  _That one looks like a dolphin!_

A shadow then fell over him. Lavender eyes stared down at him, curved brows arched above them. "Uh… you okay?"

Neptune blinked several times. "Um…" he droned, trying his hardest to focus on the girl above him. "Depends… are there supposed to be three of you?"

He heard a scoff, and the lavender eyes rolled. "Jeez… okay, dude, up we go." The world spun anew as Neptune felt himself get lifted straight off the ground by his armpits. He was set down moments later in a sitting position, his back pressed against something solid.

As the world slowly stopped spinning, he heard Yang chuckle slightly. "Yeesh. C'mon, man, it wasn't that bad."

Neptune lifted his head, looking up at the girl (girls? Still seemed like there was more than one of her). "I've never been on a motorcycle before. And now…" He groaned as he felt his stomach catch up to him. "...I don't think I ever will again."

At that, Yang's smirk faltered ever-so-slightly. "Okay, maybe I overdid it a little."

"Ya think?" Neptune groaned as the world finally came to a stop. He took a moment to take in his surroundings. Yang had leaned him up against the side of a building, and a neon glow shined above his head. Looking around, he saw that all the surrounding buildings seemed to be in bad shape, not quite falling in on themselves, but a far cry from the gleaming Vale towers he'd gotten used to seeing.

"Where… are we?" he asked as he slowly pushed himself to his feet.

Yang gave him that terrifying smirk again. Why, oh why, had the Goddesses paired him with a girl that was somehow crazier than his best friend? "This," Yang started, turning towards the closest building's entrance, "is Junior's Nightclub. Best place in Vale to find a good time… so long as you can put up with the locals."

Neptune followed her gaze, watching as a drunken man twice his size was thrown out the front door by an even larger man in a black shirt and sunglasses.  _Charming_ , he thought to himself. Then, when the apparent bouncer caught sight of him and Yang standing just outside the door, he took a step back, shock and dread clear on his face, then bolted back inside. Frantic yelling could be heard as the door closed behind him.

"And, um…" Neptune asked, confused by the man's reaction… and perturbed by the widening smirk on Yang's lips. "Why, exactly, are we here?"

Yang glanced at him as she started towards the door, Neptune reluctantly following. "Well, the place tends to attract a certain kind of crowd. Some of them a little more…" She thought for the right word. " _Independent_  than you'd find in other places around the city. I'm hoping someone might know where we could find this Torchwick guy, or at least point us in the right direction."

"Oh… great." Neptune slumped his shoulders as he followed Yang into the building, down a long hallway. When Yang fell silent, Neptune took it as an opportunity to ask the real question that was bugging him. "So… you gonna tell me what I did to piss you off, or should I just start begging for mercy in general?"

Yang glanced at him, a little surprised by his question. Then she looked away, a slight snort sounding as her lips twitched upwards. "You royally screwed up."

Neptune rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I got that.  _How_ , exactly?"

Yang's grin widened. "Well, let's see. You openly flirt with Weiss, then I take you here the long way. What do you think?"

Neptune just barely kept from shouting  _"The long way?!"_ , and instead considered her words.  _Okay, she's ticked I hit on Weiss. Why? They're teammates, yeah, but I don't get why Yang would get that pissed at me. Yang shouldn't dictate who Weiss can and can't date. It's not like she's Weiss'-_

Neptune froze mid-step, his eyes widening as his irises shrank.

_Oh._

He slowly turned his gaze to Yang, who had paused beside him, eyebrow raised expectantly.

"...I hit on your girlfriend, didn't I?" It wasn't so much a question as a resigned statement.

Yang's smirk was all the confirmation he needed.

Neptune held in a groan as he realized that, yes, he  _had_  royally screwed up. Awkward silence filled the hallway, broken only by the hushed whispers and sound of movement coming from the door at the end, muffled club music playing in the background. Accepting the, likely painful, experience he was about to go through, Neptune met Yang's eyes with a blank look. "I'm guessing a 'sorry' isn't going to cut it?"

Yang just looked at him for a few moments, eyebrow raised, smirk still in place. To Neptune's utter shock, all she did was slap him on the back (just hard enough that  _maybe_  he wouldn't bruise), and started back down the hall. "Don't sweat it, man. You didn't know, so I won't hold it against you… that much."

Neptune stared after her in shock, before following after her.  _Huh. Guess I'm lucky she's nice. I honestly thought she was gonna break my nose or something._

"'Course," Yang went on, not missing a beat. "Now that you know, you do it again, I'll break your legs."

Neptune swallowed.  _Oh. So, not out of trouble, just on parole. Great._  "Understood," he said meekly, following behind Yang quietly. The muffled sounds were getting louder, but Yang didn't seem bothered by them in the slightest. Just as they reached the door, however, Neptune had a thought. "Wait. I get why  _you_  were mad at me, but how'd I tick off Blake?"

Yang didn't turn around as she grasped the door handles. "Oh, that's easy. Weiss is her girlfriend, too."

It took a full second for Neptune to really process what she'd said. He did right when she pulled open the doors, his head snapping towards her. "Wait, what do you mean-"

"Guess who's back?" Yang yelled out as she stepped into the club, smiling widely.

-and Neptune suddenly found himself staring down the barrels of eight high-powered machine guns.

 _Sun, I take it back._ Now,  _I hate you._

* * *

**A Different Part of Vale, A Few Miles Away**

_Well, it's official. This is the most awkward ride of my life._

Sun glanced out the taxi's window, watching as the bright buildings of Vale were slowly turning older and darker the further into the city they went. Despite Blake telling him where the rally was, he still had no clue where they were going. But Blake seemed confident about the location, so he trusted her judgment.

 _Speaking of which…_  Sun turned his eyes to the girl beside him, ignoring the now familiar pressure in his shoulders.

Blake was staring out her window, just like he had been, except with her, Sun could almost  _see_  the nervousness pouring off of her. Her hands twitched in her lap, curling and uncurling in agitation. Her cat ears (which he still thought were weird to see, after the whole spiel she'd given him about wanting to fit in a month ago) were pointed straight up on her head, the left one flicking at random intervals. She was biting her lip.

 _She sure has a lot on her mind,_  Sun thought to himself. Since flagging down the cab shortly after landing in the city, Blake had barely said two words to him the entire time. Not that he really blamed her. After hearing her story, plus the things he'd heard about the White Fang on his own, Sun couldn't even imagine what she must be thinking about going back, however briefly.

Still, that didn't mean he was just going to let her stay wrapped up in her own head. Overthinking anything never ended well, so Sun felt Blake needed a distraction. Plus, maybe he could get some of the questions rattling around in his brain answered.

Time to break the ice.

With a sledgehammer.

"So, how's Mated life treating you?"

In an instant, Sun got the expected result. Blake's head snapped towards him with wide eyes, her cheeks tinting quickly. Her mouth opened partially as she floundered to respond, forcing Sun to withhold a laugh.

Eventually, Blake's mouth snapped shut, her eyes going back to the buildings passing by. "It's… going okay," she answered lamely, trying to will away her blush.

Sun couldn't help the brief chuckle that passed through his lips as he rested his elbows on his knees, grinning at her. "Blake, relax. It's a big deal, but it ain't  _that_  big a deal, y'know?"

Blake eyed him out of the corner of her eye, before releasing a sigh. "Sorry. It's just… you're the first person to actually say something about it since we finalized everything."

Sun blinked, surprised. "Oh… really? That's… odd."

Blake shook her head. "Not really. The humans in Beacon don't know a lot about Faunus culture, at least as far as I've seen. And the other Faunus, well… Beacon has a bit of a bullying problem."

At that, Sun snorted. "No kidding. Especially that one big guy. What's his name? Carrion? Cordin?"

"Cardin," Blake answered, some bite to her words.

"Yeah, that jackass. Moron tried to pull my tail in the hall last week."

Blake sent him a sympathetic look, her ears twitching slightly. "Unfortunately, Cardin's not the only student like that. Because of that, the Faunus at Beacon don't talk about our culture a lot. We've mostly just gotten smiles and nods. No one's said anything to us specifically."

Sun let out a hum, mulling over Blake's words. Then an honest smile spread over his lips. "Well then, allow me to be the first. Congratulations on finding your Mates, Blake."

Blake seemed taken aback for a moment. Then, she gave a small smile. "Thanks, Sun. That means a lot." A moment later, though, her smile fell as she met Sun's eyes. "Sun?" she asked hesitantly. "Back at Beacon, when you first saw us, were you… I mean, did you…"

"Have a huge crush on you?" Sun supplied helpfully, grinning knowingly.

Blake swallowed, unable to meet his eyes as she gave a small nod.

Sun chuckled lightly, leaning back in his seat. "Yeah, Blake, I did. Still do, a little bit." He waved off her distressed look. "It's cool Blake, I'll get over it."

Blake's ears drooped nonetheless. "Sun, I'm sorry-"

"For what?" Sun cut her off. He shook his head, mostly at himself. "Blake, you didn't do anything wrong. Heck, you made it pretty clear last month that you weren't interested in me like that. It's my own fault for getting my hopes up anyways. I'll live." he shifted a little in his seat, an indecisive look playing across his face for a moment. "I have to ask, though," he started again, making his decision. "How'd this happen? 'Cause, I'm thinking pretty hard, but I can't remember any time you hinted you were in a relationship over the last month."

Now it was Blake's turn to look uncomfortable. "That's… a long story."

Sun glanced out the window of the cab. The buildings they were passing, while needing a little work, didn't look anything like the near ruins Blake had described they were heading towards. "We've got time," he said, meeting Blake's eyes.

Blake hesitated. She bit her lip. "It's… kind of embarrassing."

Sun raised an eyebrow. "Okay, if you were trying to make me  _less_  curious, that was  _not_  the thing to say."

Blake let out a huff, her ears pinning back as she stared back out the window.

Sun groaned internally, mostly at himself. "Okay, no jokes, I get it." When she still wouldn't meet his eyes, Sun sighed. "Look, Blake, I don't need all the details or whatever. I'm just curious on how you four went from teammates to, y'know,  _Mates_. Heck, if it weren't for the Marks on your necks, I probably wouldn't have believed it."

Blake turned back to him, her eyes narrowing warningly. "Why not?"

Sun met her glare with a raised eyebrow, counting off on his fingers. "Okay, Mating a human; pretty common, see it a lot back home." Blake blinked at that, but Sun went on before she could comment. "Taking multiple Mates; not very common, but I know it happens. Multiple  _human_  Mates? Never heard of it personally, but I can see it happening. But the real kicker?" He leaned back in his seat, resting his arms on his lap. "Weiss."

Blake's ears perked up a bit, before folding back down. "What about her?" Blake asked, a challenge in her voice.

Sun just stared back, an expression on his face that conveyed a clear ' _really?_ '. "You got to admit, Blake: A Schnee hooking up with a Faunus?  _Tell_  me if you had heard that a year ago, you wouldn't have called bullcrap."

Sun could tell he'd hit the nail on the head, if the way her twitching ear and uncomfortable expression was anything to go by. Blake let out a small breath, then said quietly, "Weiss is different. She's not her father."

Sun's eyebrows raised at that. Then a grin made its way onto his lips. "Sounds like a glowing endorsement to me." He paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. "Look, Blake, if you don't want to tell me, that's cool. I'm just… curious. I want to know the story."

Blake watched him for a moment, then looked down.  _Should I?_  She thought to herself.  _It's personal… but he said he doesn't want all of the details. And I trusted him with my past… even before my Mates…_

She felt a small nudge against her head, seemingly from nowhere. A familiar warm sensation, followed shortly by a frosty and tingling feeling.

_Curiosity. Worry. Calm._

Blake smiled. Even from different places across the city, her Mates had picked up on her worries and were trying to help, asking what's wrong. Focusing slightly, she sent back a feeling of reassurance and thankfulness.

_I love this connection… Ruby and Yang said they didn't care if our relationship was public or not. And… Sun's trustworthy._

Blake nodded to herself, then turned towards Sun. "This never leaves this cab, okay?"

Sun, who had been watching as Blake's face suddenly went from troubled to relaxed, an idea as to why already forming, gave his signature grin. "Scout's honor."

Blake rolled her eyes, though a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Last week, after the four of us went to an arcade…"

* * *

**Beacon Academy**

The center of Beacon Academy was bustling with activity. Between the visiting schools making their rounds and the regular student carrying on with their day-to-day, nothing seemed to stand still.

To Weiss, being at the center of such activity used to bring her no shortage of anxiety. Used to the emptiness of her family 'home', or having a wall of bodyguards between her and the populace the few times she'd made a public appearance with her father, the idea of being so close to so many strangers was frightening to her.

Not that she'd let anyone know that. No, Weiss had learned early on how to keep others from seeing such 'weakness', as her father called it. Head held high, eyes narrowed, face blank; Look down on everyone for the sole reason that they are not you. The perfect facade to make people give her space.

The past few months, however, had been both a rude awakening and an absolute dream. Between Yang, whose warm manner of confidence was the polar opposite of her own, and Ruby, who insisted on dragging Weiss anywhere and everywhere she wanted them to go, Weiss had been forced to see that her way of hiding 'weakness' only served to limit herself. Without either of the sisters knowing, they had slowly helped Weiss reach a point where the large crowds didn't bother her as much. Not as long as she had one of them by her side.

On this day, however, Weiss was feeling all that anxiety bubbling back up to the surface, only now for an entirely different reason.

Crystal blue eyes scanned the crowded paths for the umpteenth time, looking for… something. Once again, Weiss felt frustrated with herself for being so anxious, despite not even knowing what she was waiting for. Some paparazzi with a camera? An SDC representative who would stop her in the street? Her father himself to step out from around the corner?

She snorted at herself.  _Okay, that's a bit much._  She resisted the urge to sigh.  _I wish I could just relax. It'd make this so much easier._

A sudden pressure as her hand was gently squeezed. Weiss turned her attention to the girl at her side, holding her hand. Grey eyes stared back at her, full of concern.

"Weiss? What's wrong?"

Weiss cursed herself inwardly. Of  _course_  Ruby knew something was wrong.  _How could she not when my emotions are just hanging out there for her to see?_

She didn't want that. Not the emotion-sensing in and of itself. That was… wonderful. Knowing how Ruby or Blake or Yang were feeling at just a glance, to know that they were happy or troubled without having to resort to her stunted social skills; it was beautiful.

The part she wasn't so keen on was the reverse. That at any given moment, the three of them knew exactly how she was feeling. Especially Ruby, who seemed to have a vendetta against negative emotions, having to stomp them out the moment she felt them within one of them.

That didn't sit well with Weiss. They were her emotions, her problems. She didn't want to drag down the others whenever she was feeling worried or depressed. Especially when it was over something so trivial. It wasn't Ruby's fault that Weiss was so antsy. It was the heiress' own paranoia playing with her again. There was nothing she was doing wrong.

She was just walking down the street.

Next to her girlfriend.

Holding her hand.

Around all. These.  _People._

_All it would take is just one scroll, just one photo that makes its way to Atlas…_

Weiss forced down the thought, banishing it to the dark recesses of her mind. She tried to smile back at Ruby. "It's nothing, Ruby. I'm just… new at this."

It was a weak excuse, one that Ruby obviously didn't fully believe. Still, Weiss had to give her leader credit: poor reason or not, Ruby ran with it. She smiled at Weiss, saying, "So am I. I think we're doing it right, though. Do… you like holding hands?" Her voice was tinted with uncertainty, a small frown on her face.

Weiss felt a stab of guilt at the same moment Ruby's worry hit her. She gave Ruby's hand a small squeeze as they continued down the sidewalk. "I do, Ruby. It's actually… really nice." A hesitant smile formed on her face when she saw Ruby's expression brighten. Weiss let out a sigh as she went on. "I'm sorry, I've just got a lot on my mind."

Ruby's face fell at that. "Can I help with any of it?"

Weiss smiled ruefully. "It's sweet of you to ask, Ruby, but, I don't think there's much you can do to help me right now."

Ruby's frown deepened. She thought for a moment, before slowly meeting Weiss' eyes, speaking softly.

"I can listen."

Weiss paused, staring back at Ruby. She tried to be strong, but…  _Dust damn those big, sad eyes..._

"I'm just…" she started hesitantly. She let out a tired sigh. "I just can't stop worrying about… my father seeing us."

Ruby came to an abrupt stop, her eyebrows disappearing into her hairline. "Is he here in Vale? You didn't say anything earlier."

Weiss was quick to shake her head. "No, no, he's still in Atlas. But… " Weiss took a deep breath, steeling herself again. "He's always on the lookout for bad press, anything that might make the company, or him, look bad. I'm just worried that… I don't know… everyone knows I'm the Schnee heiress. If the wrong person sees us together, and word gets back to him…"

Ruby was stunned as Weiss trailed off. Seeing the look on Weiss' face was heartbreaking. It wasn't even just one of fear. It was more like… resignation. Like her father finding out about their relationship was less of a possibility and more an inevitable event.

Ruby's heart clenched as the realization hit her. "You're… scared of him, aren't you?"

A quick stab of surprise and panic came across the Link as Weiss' eyes widened. Her mouth opened, an automatic response on her lips, but the words died in her throat the moment she met Ruby's wide grey eyes. Her mouth closed quickly. She gulped nervously. She tried to hold Ruby's gaze, but gave up after a few seconds. She sighed tiredly as her eyes slid closed.

"He has so much control over me, Ruby." Her voice lowered so that no one around them could hear, just the girl in front of her. "The company, my status as an heiress… being at Beacon." She heard Ruby's breath hitch, felt the dread bleeding over from her, but kept her eyes shut. "I had to fight tooth and nail for him to let me learn to be a Huntress, and even harder for me to be able to go to Beacon rather than the school he wanted me to enroll in. He made it clear that if I didn't match his expectations… he'd pull me out."

Ruby's eyes widened even further, a cold feeling forming in her stomach. "Can… can he do that?"

Weiss could only give a helpless shrug, her eyes opening just enough for her to stare down at the concrete below her. "Probably. He paid my tuition, and technically, it's his money I use to buy my books and supplies. Even if he couldn't pull me out himself, he'd just have to cut off the money until I couldn't afford to stay anymore."

"Why would he do that?"

Weiss' eyes hardened, and she made a point to stare at the ground so Ruby wouldn't think her cold look was aimed at her. "Because, he has to control  _everything._  If he wants something to happen, it will. If-" She cut herself off before she could start another rant. "I just… I  _finally_  have some control over my own life, Ruby. Where I am, what I do… who I love." She squeezed Ruby's hand, receiving a small smile in return. "I feel like I've finally started  _living_ … but if I just make one mistake, if he finds just one fault in what I'm doing… he'll rip it all away from me."

Ruby stared at Weiss. The sadness, the  _helplessness_  Weiss was feeling was starting to make her stomach queasy. She turned her gaze to the pavement as they trudged through the crowd, Ruby struggling to come up with anything to say. Much to her own disappointment, she couldn't think of a single thing that could help Weiss. Instead, she just said the first thing that came to mind.

"Weiss?" she asked softly.

"Yes, Ruby?" Weiss's response was just as quiet.

"...I don't think I like your dad."

Weiss was silent for a moment. Then, to Ruby's surprise, she snorted, followed by a peal of light giggles. "Yes, well…" She fought through her laughter, trying to respond. "I'm not overly fond of him myself."

Ruby felt another stab in her heart at Weiss' words, but ignored it to instead enjoy Weiss' brief lift in mood. Her mind couldn't leave the situation alone, though, so she tried a different route. "What about the rest of your family? Do you think any of them would be okay with…  _us_?"

Weiss sobered up quickly at her question, but did seem to consider it. "I… don't know, Ruby." Her face twisted up into what could only be described as a sad scowl. "I doubt my brother would be okay with it."

Ruby felt her eyebrows disappear again, her eyes widening. "Your  _brother_?"

Weiss glanced at her, confused by her reaction. Then she recalled Yang's words from the previous day.  _Right. She and Ruby don't know anything about my family…_

"Yes, my brother Whitley," Weiss explained with a nod. She felt a small bit of satisfaction when she saw Ruby quickly grow engrossed with the new information. "He's a few years younger than you. I… don't know what to make of him, to be honest. Sometimes he can be kind of nice, but most of the time, he's a complete clone of my father. And everything my father says or thinks, he matches it."

Ruby felt her shoulders slump. For a moment there she'd had a brief, hopeful thought that she'd get along with someone in Weiss' family, someone she might even get to play the big sister act on. But if Whitley was really like how Weiss said he was... "Anyone else?" she asked hopefully.

Ruby was sure that if her heart sank any lower it was going to fall into her stomach. A tyrant for a father, a brother just as bad, a distant mother; the way Weiss acted when they first met was starting to make a lot more sense. Then, thankfully, almost desperately, Ruby remembered something. "What about your sister?"

Weiss blinked, a little surprised Ruby remembered she had a sister. "Winter... " She thought for a moment. Her head dipped up a little at the thought. "If any of them would be okay with our relationship, it might be her. She and father never saw eye to eye on anything. She eventually just up and left home without telling anyone. Though, if you asked Father, he'd say he kicked her out. I don't really know what her views on Faunus are, so… I don't know how she'd react to our relationship."

Ruby suddenly brightened, taking that one little spark of hope and ready to turn it into a mighty blaze. "Well, why don't you ask her? In fact-" Ruby gasped as she had a great idea. "Call her!"

Weiss nearly stumbled as Ruby practically yelled in her ear. "Wha- what?"

Ruby was nearly vibrating in place as her idea took form. "At the CCT! After we get the info, you can call her and let her know about us."

Weiss had never felt true dread. She thought she had. Between her father's teachings and her time at Beacon, she thought she understood what if felt like to have wave upon wave of terror and uncertainty crash down on her.

Then Ruby happened.

"C-call her?" Weiss stuttered out her irises shrinking as her stomach dropped. "T-today?! And tell her about…  _us_? No! Nonononono, that is a bad idea! That is a very bad idea, Ruby!"

Ruby visibly deflated. "Aww… why? I thought you said she'd be okay with it."

Weiss felt a rather loud retort about to pass her lips, but she bit her tongue to stop it. She took a few quick, calming breaths.

 _Easy, Weiss. This is Ruby, impulse incarnate... Just speak calmly and clearly, and make her understand why you are_ not _doing this today._

"I didn't say that Ruby." She said once her nerves had lessened. She gave Ruby's arm a small tug, and the two started walking again. "I will admit, out of the rest of my family, Winter is the one who might possibly approve of our relationship. But... " She shifted uncomfortably, memories washing over her. "She's a very critical person… She's better than my father, but if she finds some flaw with what we're doing... " She sighed. "I'm not going to just drop something like this on her out of the blue. If I tell her, I want to… I don't know, make a plan or something. Try to make her more receptive to the idea."

Ruby hummed at that. After a few seconds of walking, she said, "Well… what if you don't tell her it all today? Start small. Tell her about what Beacon's like, what it's like being on a team with us."

Weiss walked on silently, Ruby's words rolling around in her head. "It… could work. And… it would be nice to talk with her again."

Ruby frowned at that. "Are you two mad at each other or something?"

Weiss shook her head, taking the time to send a wave of reassurance at Ruby. "No, nothing like that. Winter's just very busy most of the time, working with the military. And… I didn't get many chances to call her when I was at home."

A pang of sympathy went through Ruby again. She tried to think of what it would be like to almost never see or hear Yang. It made her feel… cold. She smiled despite it. "So… are you going to call her?"

Weiss bit her lip nervously. Her eyes darted around the street, not really focusing on anything, before meeting Ruby's silver eyes again. She swallowed. "Let me… let me think about it… okay?"

It wasn't quite the answer Ruby wanted, but it was better than an outright 'no'. Plus…

 _Worry. Longing. Hesitation. Dread. Hope_.

…it was the last one that made Ruby smile. She could  _feel_  it. Weiss  _did_  want to call her sister. She was just worried about what would happen when she did. But there was that spark of hope that, if she called, Winter would be okay with their relationship.

And if Weiss thought that they had a chance with Winter, Ruby would back her up, one hundred percent.

Ruby squeezed Weiss' hand, hoping that Weiss could feel the determination and approval she was sending across the Link. Judging from the soft smile that formed on Weiss' lips, she did.

They walked further down the street, just enjoying each others company. Now that Weiss had brought it up, Ruby found herself looking over the crowds of people around them, trying to see if she could spot anyone paying them too much attention. No one really stood out, save for one or two people who seemed to recognize Weiss, but those people went on their merry way seconds later, like nothing happened.

_I don't see anything… but if Weiss thinks it might be a problem, I'll help her keep an eye out, just in case._

The crowds started to thin out as they left the busy main streets, turning to walk down a smaller side street. A small burst of curiosity danced at the back of Ruby's mind, tinged with hesitation. She was about to question Weiss about it when the heiress turned to her, an odd look on her face.

"Ruby," she started, her voice a low whisper. "Can I ask you something… personal?"

Ruby tilted her head a little at Weiss' sudden change in tone, but nodded. "Sure. What's up?"

Weiss seemed to fidget a little, glancing around to make sure no one was within earshot. Her cheeks tinted a little as she met Ruby's eyes. "I, um… well, I've just been wondering about something. Last week, when Blake went into heat… what… we did…"

Heat rushed to Ruby's face as she realized what Weiss was talking about. "Y-yeah?" She couldn't help the slight stutter in her voice as a few wayward memories flashed past her mind. "W-what about it?"

Weiss' face pinked even more, a look on her face that Ruby could only describe as awkwardly adorable. "I-it was your first time too, right?"

Ruby gave a small nod, feeling a little embarrassed, not helped by the fact that she could feel Weiss' embarrassment at the same time, which just seemed to compound her own emotions. "Uh-huh."

Weiss bit her lip, her contemplation palpable. "Did, um… w-what did you think of it? Did you… like it?"

Ruby swallowed. Part of her couldn't help but wonder just where in the  _heck_  this conversation had come from, but at the same time…

_The memories slowly trickled in. Feather-light touches, lips against her skin. Low moans and stifled squeals. Warm amber eyes looking up at her, hesitant crystal blue staring down from above. Hearing Weiss say her name breathlessly as she-_

"Ruby!"

With a jolt, Ruby snapped back to reality. Weiss was standing right in front of her, her face blazing as she clasped her hands over Ruby's shoulders. She looked mortified. Ruby quickly became aware of the heat in her own cheeks.

"Um… what just…"

Weiss pursed her lips, clearing her throat as she removed her hands. "You were…  _feeling_ … rather strongly."

Ruby's face reddened further, if that was possible. "O-oh. Sorry."

Weiss nodded, trying to will away her blush. "It's… fine." After a moment, the most awkward smile formed on Weiss' lips. "So… I guess that was a 'yes', then?"

Ruby could only smile back sheepishly. "Y-yeah. It was… really something." They walked a little further before Ruby asked, "Why are you asking me this, Weiss?"

Blue eyes darted towards Ruby, before focusing on the path ahead. "I've just been… thinking. With all of this Mates business we've been going through the last week, we never really… talked about it. And now that we  _are_ Mates now, I've just been wondering…"

Ruby let out a soft "Ohh…" as she caught on to what Weiss was saying. "If we were going to do  _it_  again?"

Weiss gulped. "Y-yes," she replied, trying and failing to keep the stutter out of her voice.

Ruby watched Weiss carefully, noting how the calm exterior the heiress was trying to pull off did not match with the awkwardness and embarrassment pouring over the Link. She reached out, gently recapturing Weiss' hand in her own. "Do you want to?"

In an instant, Weiss' blush was back in full force. Again, her knee-jerk reaction was to deny anything that came remotely close to what she was really feeling, but…

Weiss held in a groan as she met Ruby's eyes.  _Again with the big, sad eyes…_

"I… wouldn't be against it…" she admitted slowly, now just ignoring the way her face  _burned._  "It's just kind of…  _awkward_  to think about." Weiss bit her lip, then gave Ruby her full attention. "What do you think, Ruby?"

Ruby's automatic response ("Last time was great! I'd love to do it again!") died on her lips once she took in Weiss' expression. Weiss' face may have looked calm and collected, but thanks to the time she'd spent around the heiress (and with the Link helping to take out a lot of the guesswork), Ruby could tell Weiss was completely lost.

Ruby stared down at the ground as she mulled everything over in her head. "I think," she eventually said, "that, after we get done with the info gathering today, we go back to the dorm and talk everything over with Blake and Yang. They might have their own thoughts about… doing it again."

Weiss pressed her lips into a thin line, nodding. "Y-yes, that would probably be best."

The conversation seemed to die after that, as Weiss kept her eyes forward, not looking at Ruby. This made Ruby frown, thinking that maybe she'd said something wrong and gave Weiss the wrong impression. She suddenly stopped walking, giving Weiss' arm a gentle hug.

Feeling the sudden stop, Weiss turned around, looking at the leader in confusion. "Ruby, what…"

She was silenced when Ruby took a quick step towards her, tilting her head up as she captured Weiss' lips in a kiss. Weiss' eyes widened in surprise, but quickly slid closed as she leaned into the kiss, enjoying the sensation.

The kiss didn't last long, only a few seconds, but Ruby felt she'd gotten her point across as she slowly pulled away. She smiled at the soft look on Weiss' face.

"I'd love to be with you again, Weiss," she said softly, enjoying herself as Weiss' face pinked again. "But we really do need to talk this over with Blake and Yang." Her smile turned into a bit of a smirk, one on par with her sister's. "Aside from us all being Mates, we do share a room, after all."

Aside from blushing deeper, Weiss had no response. Ruby smiled wider, pulling on Weiss' arm as she lead the older girl down the street.

"...Ruby?"

Said girl looked to the heiress. "Yeah?"

Weiss looked ten different kinds of awkward, but still managed a shy smile. "Thank you."

In response, Ruby gave Weiss' hand a squeeze, her smile blinding.

The two turned around a corner, the grounds opening up into a humongous courtyard. At the center stood Beacon Tower, reaching up into the heavens, a slight green glow coming from the uppermost floors. Dozens of students milled about the entrance, either hanging out with friends and enjoying the nice day, or waiting their turn to enter the CCT center at the base of the tower.

Ruby looked up at the gleaming spire, stars in her eyes. "Wow! I forgot how big the Transmit Tower looks up close!"

Weiss followed her gaze, smiling both at Ruby's response and the massive building in front of them. "You should see the one in Atlas. It's even bigger."

"That was the first one, right?" Ruby asked as they made their way towards the Tower entrance.

"Correct," Weiss said, feeling a small bit of pride in Ruby for remembering. She knew Ruby struggled with certain subjects, so seeing that the younger girl retained some knowledge from their after-class study sessions put a warm feeling in her chest. "Atlas developed the Cross Continental Transmit System to allow the four kingdoms to communicate with one another. It was their gift to the world after the Great War."

Ruby couldn't help but roll her eyes, an amused grin on her lips. "Weiss, you're slipping into 'teacher mode' again."

Weiss shot her a half-hearted scowl, which made Ruby giggle. "Oh, don't be a pest. We only came here because you wanted to. We could have easily made the call from the library."

Ruby at least had the decency to look abashed at Weiss' very true statement. 'I know, but… we never get to this part of the grounds! This is the first time I've been this close to it since the semester started. Also…"

Weiss frowned in concern when she felt Ruby's sudden uncertainty across the Link. "Ruby?" she questioned, wondering what was wrong.

Ruby's eyes darted away from Weiss, looking back towards the Tower. "Well… I was wondering something about the CCT Tower."

Weiss' frown deepened, feeling a little indignant. "You could have just asked me, Ruby. I know just as much about the CCT as any of the people who work on it."

Ruby, apparently not having realized this, felt her shoulders slump a little. "Sorry, I just…"

Weiss waited for Ruby to answer, ignoring the few students that were looking their way. She could worry about her father's reputation later. Ruby was more important.

Ruby bit her lip, before slowly looking up at the Tower.

"...do you think the Tower could reach Menagerie?"

Weiss' head jerked back in surprise, having not expected the seemingly random question. After a moment, she realized what Ruby was getting at. She crossed her arms, her expression somewhere between annoyed and disapproving. "Ruby, you're not calling Blake's parents."

Ruby was quick to throw up her hands. "I wasn't going to! I was just wondering if, y'know, it was possible, for… later."

Weiss tapped her foot, getting irritated. " _Ruby…_ "

Ruby gave a little whine, looking down. "I know, okay! I just…" She let out a sad sigh. "I don't like her not talking to them… she's just making herself sad."

Weiss' expression softened, sympathy tempering back her frustrations. "Ruby, that's Blake's choice. She doesn't want to face them until after this whole White Fang business is over with. That's why we're out here in the first place, remember? To help her get to that point?"

Ruby let out a small groan. "I know. I was just… wondering, that's all."

Weiss studied Ruby for a moment, before relenting with a huff. "Honestly, Ruby… I don't know." Ruby looked back up at Weiss, shock on her face. Weiss went on. "I...never really paid Menagerie much mind before," she admitted, with no small amount of shame. The fact that she now knew Menagerie was Blake's home made her feel all the worse. "They don't have a CCT like the kingdoms do, so they probably have to rely on smaller communication towers. Blake said she was able to reach her mom once before, so it might be possible, but… I don't know how stable the signal would be." Weiss felt her heart twinge when she saw Ruby's face fall. She let out a long-suffering sigh. "I'll look up on it later, okay?"

Ruby perked up in an instant, beaming widely as she wrapped Weiss in a hug. "Thanks, Weiss!"

Weiss blushed a bit at the sudden contact, but still smiled, returning the hug. "Okay, okay. Can we go in now? People are starting to stare."

Ruby pulled back in an instant, surprise and worry on her face. "Oh, sorry! Yeah, we can- oh! Wait! I wanted to get a picture of the Tower first."

Weiss rolled her eyes, but decided to let Ruby indulge herself for the moment. She sighed in exasperation when, in her zeal to get out her scroll, Ruby fumbled with the thing, sending it skittering across the pavement.

"Oh, darn," Ruby muttered. She reached down to grab it…

But someone beat her to it.

"Oh!" A slender arm suddenly shoved the scroll in Ruby's face. "You dropped this… uhh…"

Ruby's eyes followed the arm to the girl it belonged to, her eyes widening as she took in her features. Striking green eyes. Pink bow on top of bright orange hair. Her skin was pale as she stared back at Ruby in surprise.

"Penny?!"


	6. Information Gathering, Part 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betaed by Ril_Locke [(Covert Weapon)](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/926755/Covert-Weapon)
> 
> [LiLaL'S TV Tropes Page](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/LinkedInLifeAndLove)
> 
> [Cross-posted on FF.net](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11689623/28/Linked-in-Life-and-Love)

**Front of Beacon Tower**

Ruby couldn't believe it. She'd spent all month wondering where Penny had disappeared to after that fight against the White Fang. She'd worried for weeks whether or not her new friend was alright, if she'd been kidnapped by the White Fang or what.

And now, here she was, completely out of the blue, looking none the worse for wear.

Ruby stared at the formerly-missing girl for a moment, completely dumbstruck. Penny seemed just as stunned to see Ruby, freezing in place with wide eyes. Then, once the initial shock wore off, Ruby smiled widely. In an instant, she leapt forward, wrapping Penny in a tight hug.

"Penny!" Ruby squealed, squeezing the girl with all she had. "You're okay!"

The surprise bear hug startled Penny, causing the green-eyed girl to drop Ruby's scroll, which the young leader had completely ignored. Weiss took a quick step forward, snatching the scroll out of the air before it tumbled onto the pavement.

A frown formed on Weiss' face as she looked at Ruby hugging Penny  _very_  tightly. She couldn't help the shot of jealousy that shot through her at the sight, a sense of wrongness as Ruby showered someone other than her or Blake with affection. The feeling lessened, however, when Weiss unconsciously scanned Ruby's emotions.

_Shock. Happiness. Relief._

And… that was it. Ruby was just happy that her friend was safe and sound. Nothing deeper than friendly affection.

Inwardly, Weiss berated herself. She knew Ruby, knew the girl's amazing openheartedness, the kindness she adored so much. Ruby wouldn't do anything to hurt her or Blake, least of all involve herself with someone else. How could she ever think, however briefly, that Ruby would be capable of such a thing?

Weiss made a mental note to ask Blake about it later. Perhaps there was some element of Mating that was affecting her thoughts. The only other alternative was that she was just being irrationally jealous.

_...I'm not sure which of those is worse, to be honest._

"Uuuhh…" Penny droned, her eyes darting between Ruby and Weiss. Weiss, having been on the receiving end of Ruby's surprise hugs, had to sympathize with the clear 'I-am-so-out-of-my-depth' look on Penny's face. Before she could give a coherent response, Ruby pulled back, holding the girl at an arm's length

"Where have you been?" Ruby asked, her voice thick with worry. "We haven't seen you since that night at the docks!"

"U-um…" Penny stuttered out, staring at Ruby dumbly. Weiss frowned at that. Something seemed…  _off_  about Penny. Well, more than usual. From the limited interaction she'd had with Penny before, Weiss had gathered that Penny was a rather odd girl (though, as she was quickly learning, there really was no such thing as 'normal' when Hunters were concerned. Being strange and quirky seemed to be a requirement). But this was different. Before, Penny acted rather out-there, but was energetic, excitable.

Now, though, the green-eyed girl seemed rather stiff, staring at her and Ruby with an expression of worry and… fear?

Penny suddenly took a quick step back, pulling out of Ruby's grasp. Surprised, Ruby pulled her arms back against her chest, hurt flashing in her eyes. Penny seemed to notice this, averting her gaze from the sniper. "I-I'm sorry. I think you're confused.  _Hic!_ " Penny's body jolted as she suddenly hiccuped. Her eyes widened, her cheeks tinting… green?

 _Wait, what?_  Weiss thought, baffled.

Penny fidgeted in place for a moment, then turned on her heel. "Uh… I've got to go!" Before Ruby or Weiss could say anything, she took off, quickly getting lost in the crowd.

Ruby stared after her, her confusion and hurt so obvious that Weiss didn't even need the Link to feel it. Concerned, Weiss put a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "Do you know what that was about?" she asked. Ruby had spent more time around the strange girl before, so hopefully, she knew what might be going on.

Unfortunately, Ruby just shook her head, her confusion obvious. "I don't know." Then, Ruby's silver eyes narrowed, filling with determination. "But I'm going to find out." With that, she started walking after Penny, just able to make out her orange hair bobbing in the distance.

Weiss' eyes widened. She grasped her girlfriend's shoulder before she got out of reach. "Wait, Ruby!" Ruby spun around, a little surprised by Weiss' sudden action. Weiss fixed her with a stare that was both confused and more than a little exasperated. "What about the CCT?"

Ruby blinked, as if just remembering why they were at Beacon Tower in the first place. She looked up at the gleaming spire. A small whimper passed through her lips as she bounced from foot to foot with pent up energy. When she turned back to Weiss, Ruby's expression was contrite. "You don't really need me to get the info, do you?"

Weiss felt an odd mix of frustration and dread at Ruby's words. She was just about to yell that, yes, she did need Ruby's help, but…

_Worry. Dread. Guilt. Protectiveness._

Weiss sighed.  _Her heart's too big for her own good… but that's what I like about her._  "I suppose not," Weiss admitted grudgingly, letting her hand slip from Ruby's shoulder.

Ruby flashed a guilty smile, then surprised Weiss by leaning in close and giving her a small peck on the cheek. "Thank you," she whispered into Weiss' ear, before spinning around and taking off down the path, eyes locking on the orange dot far off across the campus.

Weiss stood there, stunned as her face pinked a little at Ruby's very public display of affection. She managed to shake herself back to reality just before Ruby had run out of earshot. "Call me when you're done talking with Penny!" she yelled out, hoping Ruby would hear her.

Ruby paused mid-step, looking over her shoulder with a grin. "I will!" she shouted back. "You just make your call!" Then, right as she started running again, she looked back over her shoulder with a cheeky smile. "Say 'hi' to your sister for me!"

It took all of a second for Weiss to process what Ruby said. Her eyes widened in panic. "Ru-!"

_**Whoossh!** _

"-by." Weiss just stared as rose petals gently danced in the air in front of her, their creator zipping away in a flash of red. Several students in the courtyard started to pick themselves back up, grumbling about getting knocked over by the sudden blast of wind.

Weiss blinked as she watched a dot of red streak into the distance, disappearing around a far off corner. As the rose petals settled around her, Weiss brought a hand to her face, gently massaging her temples.

 _I swear, sometimes she's worse than Yang._  Taking a calming breath, Weiss looked up at the massive structure before her, its size suddenly seeming rather intimidating to her. She let out a huff.  _Okay,_  she thought to herself.  _Let's get this over with._  Straightening her posture, Weiss started towards the tower's entrance, her head held high, ignoring the curious stares she received from the students around her.

* * *

**Junior's Nightclub**

_Huh. Wonder what that was about?_

Yang frowned into her glass, trying to make sense of what was going on in her head.

Junior's had been a total bust. After getting his goon squad to stand down (and  _maybe_  giving one or two of them a concussion), Yang was lucky to find the man himself behind the bar. Unfortunately, Junior had next to nothing to give her. All he knew about Torchwick were two things. One, he was working with the White Fang (already knew that). Two, Torchwick had come to Junior's once before, looking for "hired help". Junior had given him a small army of his best guys… and he hadn't heard from any of them since.

All Yang got out of that was that Junior couldn't tell them anything that they didn't already know.

So, here she sat at the bar, slowly sipping at her drink as she waited for her team to show up. Hopefully, they were having better luck than she did.

Though, with all the weird emotions bouncing between the three of them, she was pretty sure that whatever they were finding didn't qualify as 'good'.

"Hey." A sudden voice pulled Yang from her thoughts. "You okay?"

Yang looked up from her drink, meeting Neptune's eyes. Yang had to admit, she was kind of impressed that the guy was still there. After their warm welcome, Junior's oh-so-friendly demeanor,  _and_  getting turned down cold by the Malachite Twins, Yang wouldn't have been surprised if Neptune had just up and left as soon as he realized that her lead was a total waste.

And she wouldn't really have blamed him if he did. She doubted that Neptune had been expecting to take a trip to Vale's criminal underbelly when he and Sun volunteered to help. Plus…  _maybe_  she overdid it a bit with the motorcycle ride.

But, Neptune stuck around after all of it, sitting next to her at the bar, sipping a cola, nervously eyeing the armed bouncers that kept glaring their way.

Yang glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, before sighing. "Yeah, I'm good. Just trying to make sense of what's going on with my team."

Neptune frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Yang laughed a little at his confusion. "They're all feeling a little… off, I guess." She tapped the side of her head to make the meaning clear.

It took a second, but Neptune's eyes soon widened, his lips parting slightly in realization. "Oh! Like… their emotions?"

Yang nodded, smiling slightly at the slight skepticism in his voice. Once they'd settled at the bar, Neptune had wasted little time in asking her what she'd meant when she'd said that Blake was also Weiss' girlfriend. So, Yang gave him a basic idea of her team all being Mates with each other, and what that entailed.

Neptune was… less than impressed at first. He'd given Yang a look that clearly said he thought she was full of it. Yang was a little annoyed at that, but at the same time, she kind of got where he was coming from. Faunus Mating was crazy enough when she was part of it. To someone completely uninformed, all the talk about emotion sensing, 'seeing' aura, soul-sharing; it must have sounded ludicrous, even by Hunter standards.

Still, even if that was what Neptune thought, the guy hadn't called her on any of it. He was at least entertaining the possibility, and Yang counted that as a win.

Yang nodded in confirmation. "Yep."

Neptune eyed her as she downed the last of her drink. He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "What are they… feeling?"

Yang turned to look at him, her brows lifting in surprise. She looked him up and down, checking whether or not he was being serious. When she only saw honest curiosity in his eyes, she shrugged.  _Eh, what's the harm?_

She turned back to the bar, waving Junior down for him to make her another drink. As she waited for her drink, she closed her eyes, focusing.

Inky blackness, endless in all directions. Three pinpricks of light, two far off in the distance, one slowly drawing closer. Too far to make out shapes, but close enough to feel them clearly. Yang focused on the closest one, an odd mix of vivid violet shrouding wispy black.

"Blake is… nervous," Yang said softly, keeping her eyes closed. Neptune raised an eyebrow, still not sure whether or not Yang was screwing with him. He was about to ask for more details, when he noticed something odd.

Yang's tattoo… or,  _Mark,_  as she called it… part of it was glowing. Not very brightly, but just enough that the purple flower in the middle of it stood out against her skin.

Neptune felt his other eyebrow meet his first as Yang went on. "She's nervous… and worried. But… she's also relieved… happy even." Then Yang smiled, chuckling. "And more than a little annoyed." She opened her eyes, and Neptune watched as the glow of her Mark quickly faded, going back to looking like a tattoo. "I think she's talking with Sun."

Neptune shook off his bafflement, meeting Yang's eyes. He managed a grin, laughing lightly at her words. "Happy, but annoyed? Yeah, that sounds like how talking to Sun feels."

Yang smirked back at him. She looked up as Junior set a new glass in front of her. Yang just gave the man a nod, sliding a few Lien across the bar to him. She took a sip as Junior walked off (if nothing else, the man made a great Strawberry Sunrise), before setting the glass back down, closing her eyes again.

Yang focused. Neptune watched her closely, his eyes trained on her Mark. Sure enough, the red rose on her neck gained a dim glow. After a few seconds, she let out a concerned huff. "Ruby, what are you doing?" Her voice was so low, Neptune could barely hear it. As if remembering he was there, Yang spoke a little louder, her lips curving into a small frown. "Earlier, Ruby got really excited. She was happy and relieved, but now… she's worried about something. She feels… guilty? And determined." Yang huffed, her lips pulling up into an exasperated smile. "Rubes has her mind set on  _something_. She's moving away from where Weiss is. I'll probably get an annoyed phone call soon."

Neptune nodded, not that Yang could see it. "Okay.. and Weiss?"

Yang didn't say anything, but Neptune could see the red glow of the rose fade, replaced by the light blue of the snowflake. After a few seconds, Yang's eyes opened, her brow furrowing in thought. "Weiss is frustrated, annoyed, worried…" She took a deep breath, letting it out in a tired huff. '...and lonely. Dammit, Ruby," Yang suddenly hissed under her breath, "What the hell is so important for you to bail on Weiss?"

Neptune stared at the blonde as she scowled into her drink, the glow of her Mark fading down to nothing. "Ruby left Weiss alone?"

Yang let out a soft grunt, taking a swig of her Sunrise. "Yeah. At least I can guess why she feels guilty right now."

Neptune just stared. "Wow."

Yang raised an eyebrow at the awe in his voice. Her lips turned up into a smirk. "So, you believe me now?"

Neptune nodded with a smile. "Yeah. It was the light show that cinched it, though."

Yang blinked. "Wait, what?"

* * *

**Beacon Academy**

To say Weiss was stressed was an understatement. Between Yang going to a criminal nightclub in the seediest part of Vale, and Blake walking right into the bloody maw of the White Fang, her nerves were already stretched to the breaking point. And now, Ruby, in all her great juvenile wisdom, had run off to who-knows-where to find out what was wrong with her formerly-missing friend, leaving Weiss to tackle the SDC all by herself.

Stressed did not even  _begin_  to cover it.

Weiss rubbed at her temples, trying to will away her growing headache. With a huff she looked up above the elevator door, dimly taking note of the four Kingdom symbols adorning it.

With a sigh, Weiss folded her arms, waiting for her floor.

 _I don't get it, though,_  she thought to herself.  _Why am I taking so much issue with this?_

Logically, her worries made little sense. She knew Yang was a monster in a fight, one of, if not  _the_  strongest person in Beacon. She knew Blake was a near master of deception and stealth, and knew more about the White Fang than she could comprehend. She knew Ruby, for all her faults, was an accomplished warrior, quick thinking, skilled in the art of combat.

She knew they could handle themselves. She knew that, if the worst were to come, they each had someone with them for backup, Ruby included now that she was with Penny. Yes, there were risks, but her team was smart, resourceful. They would be fine.

_So why am I freaking out like this?_

It felt like her insides, her very soul was being pulled in three directions. Like, at that moment, she wanted nothing more than to run off, forget what she was doing, and see with her own eyes that her girlfriends were safe.

Why?

The ding of the elevator broke Weiss from her thoughts. Arms still crossed, she marched out of the elevator, eyes lowered to the ground. She was so deep in thought, she didn't notice the other people in the communications room until she ran into one.

Literally.

" _Oof!"_  Weis grunted as she walked right into someone, wobbling as she tried not to fall over. She heard a squeak of surprise, and the rapid  _click-clack_  of shoes on marble as whoever she ran into took a step backward.

"Hey, watch it!"

Weiss' head snapped up at the accusatory voice, only to find her own look of surprise reflected in the sunglasses of Coco Adel. The fashionista had a frown on her face, and though Weiss couldn't see her eyes, the way the older girl's brows knitted together gave her the feeling she was being glared at.

"Oh!" Weiss exclaimed, feeling her cheeks warm in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention."

To Weiss' dismay, Coco's frown deepened, her hidden glare intensifying. " _I'm_ not the one you should apologize to."

Weiss blinked at her, confused. Then her gaze was drawn to someone moving behind Coco. Weiss' eyes widened slightly in recognition.

Velvet Scarlatina met her stare nervously, her long brown rabbit ears dipping slightly. The rabbit Faunus held a hand over her chest, a small handbag clutched tightly in her grip.

Weiss was about to apologize to her, but paused when she noticed Velvet's brown eyes dart to Coco briefly. Weiss glanced that way as well, fully aware of the stern look on Coco's face. Something seemed a bit odd, but Weiss couldn't put her finger on what… at least, until she saw Coco subtly shift her weight forward, as if to take a step.

That's when Weiss saw it. Coco had put herself between Weiss and Velvet, as if she thought Weiss was a threat. The older girl's hand was grasped around her handbag handle, her pointer finger very obviously placed just a few centimeters from the hidden weapon's transformation switch. One little twitch and the bag would unfold into a massive minigun, ready to spew lead and death.

And, judging from Coco's challenging stance, she had no qualms about unleashing said destruction upon Weiss if she so deemed.

For the briefest moment, Weiss wondered why Coco was having such an exaggerated reaction to what, at least to Weiss, was a rather common accident (the number of times she'd seen Ruby bowl someone over because she wasn't paying attention was nearing triple digits). But then, Weiss' sharp mind clicked the pieces into place.

Velvet was well known throughout the school as something of an easy target. She was shy and polite, avoiding conflict whenever possible. Which, combined with her rather large ears, made her the perfect target for bullies like Cardin. Hardly a day went by that Cardin, or someone like him, tormented poor Velvet in some way, usually by pulling on her ears. And, being the gentle soul that she was, she never fought back. The fact that a good chunk of her classes were at different times than that of her teammates meant that she had to face the torment alone.

By extension, this had also earned the other members of Team CVFY a rather intimidating reputation for their responses to any bullies unfortunate enough to be caught picking on the shy Faunus. Coco Adel was well known as being particularly protective.

A familiar cold feeling formed in Weiss' stomach as it all came together. She had never had much interaction with Team CFVY. She knew that Ruby and Yang were on friendly terms with them, and she'd seen Blake speaking to Velvet on more than one occasion. But Weiss herself had always kept her distance. By her own choice, the members of Team CFVY didn't know her as a person. They just knew her by name.

To Coco, Weiss hadn't accidentally bumped into Velvet.

A Schnee had tried to knock Velvet over.

Not for the first time, Weiss cursed her family's reputation. Even with a continent and an ocean between them, her father still managed to affect her life.

Weiss took a calming breath through her nose. Her feelings towards her father wouldn't help anything right now.

 _I am not him,_  she thought to herself.  _And I'll prove it right now._

Weiss met Velvet's brown eyes, an apologetic smile on her lips. "I'm sorry, Velvet. I should have been paying more attention to where I was going. Are you alright?'

Velvet blinked back at her, her ears perking up to their full height. The Faunus smiled back. "I'm alright, Weiss." Then she shot a look towards Coco, a spark of annoyance in her eyes. "It was an accident."

Coco met her stare evenly. Then, with a sigh, she took a small step back, coming to Velvet's side. From the small way her head bobbed, Weiss guessed she'd rolled her eyes behind her sunglasses. Still, Weiss was relieved to see the fashionista's hand leave the handle of her bag.

Deciding to take her small victory while she could, Weiss gave the two a polite nod. "Well, if you'll both please excuse me…" She stepped past them, moving towards the help desk at the front of the room.

She only made it a few steps when she heard Velvet call out to her.

"Weiss!"

Weiss paused, turning back around. Velvet took the few steps forward, her hands folded politely in front of her. Confused, Weiss glanced over her shoulders towards Coco. The older girl stared back, looking confused herself at her partner's actions.

"Umm…" Velvet started nervously. Her eyes darted away from Weiss' briefly, her cheeks tinting a little. She bit her lip, then met Weiss' eyes. "I-I just wanted to say… congratulations."

Weiss frowned, not understanding. Then, she saw Velvet's eyes shift slightly, towards her neck. Weiss' eyes widened.  _Right. Other Faunus can tell when…_

Weiss' brain suddenly kicked into high gear. She'd binge-read as much about Faunus customs as she could over the last week, and her mind was quick to pull some of that information back to the surface. For a Faunus, finding their Mate was a source of pride, something to be celebrated. In Faunus circles, common courtesy was to congratulate a newly Mated couple for their good fortune.

And apparently, Velvet felt that, despite not being a Faunus herself, Weiss was worthy of that same praise.

"Um..." Weiss stuttered back, feeling her face heat up slightly. A shy smile formed on her lips, a warm feeling forming in her chest. "Thank you, Velvet. That means a lot."

Velvet nodded, smiling back. She bit her lip nervously, then asked, "Also… could you tell Blake that I'd like to talk to her later? I have a… personal question I was hoping she could help me with."

Weiss tilted her head slightly at the odd request, but nodded all the same. "Of course. I'll pass along the message."

Velvet's smile widened, showing off her teeth. "Thank you."

Weiss watched as Velvet turned around, rejoining Coco by the elevator. She just heard Coco question Velvet ("What was that about?") when the doors opened and the two stepped inside. Velvet flashed Weiss another smile, just before the doors closed.

Weiss just stood there for a moment, staring at where the pair had last been. Replaying what just happened in her mind, a bright smile formed on her face. She felt strangely… lighter. As if a great weight she'd never noticed before had been lifted.

A weight that came crashing back down once she turned around, facing the vast communications room.

Weiss sucked in a deep breath.  _Okay… here we go_. She plastered her best smile onto her face, stepping up to the empty front desk.

There was a slight buzzing sound as the motion sensors in the desk triggered. With a brief flash of light, a translucent woman appeared behind the desk. Her form shook for a moment, a blank look on her face. When the hologram stabilized, the AI smiled, bringing her blank eyes to meet Weiss'. " _Welcome to the Beacon Cross Continental Transmit Center."_  The woman greeted, a small echo in her voice.  _"How may I help you?"_

"I need to make a call to Schnee Company World Headquarters in Atlas," Weiss said, keeping her tone polite.

" _Absolutely."_  The desk made a few beeping sounds as the projection's fingers skimmed across an invisible keyboard.  _"If you could head over to Terminal 3, I'll patch you through."_

Weiss smiled at the AI. "Thank you!"

The AI blinked at her, before smiling back, a little wider than before. As Weiss stepped around the desk towards the computers, the AI's form shuddered, then blinked out of existence.

Weiss walked across the room, past various students sitting at the terminals read out around the area. She heard snippets of conversations, some speaking with family, some with friends. She had a brief, fleeting thought, wondering what it was like to call a family member for the simple purpose of just… talking.

* * *

" **Say hi to your sister for me!"**

* * *

Weiss shook her head.  _Ruby… sometimes I wish I could see the world as simply as that girl._  Though, Weiss had to admit, the more she thought about it, the more tempting the idea got… despite the fact that the rest of her brain was screaming "BAD IDEA", every worst-case scenario running through her mind.

Weiss sat down at the terminal the AI had sent her to. She took a moment to collect her thoughts, pushing down her growing anxiety. She couldn't just be Weiss when talking to the SDC. She had to be "Miss Schnee." She took a deep breath, forcing a fake smile onto her face as the screen lit up. A young woman appeared on screen, looking down at what was likely another computer screen. The Schnee logo spun lazily behind her.

" _Thank you for calling the Atlas- Oh!"_  The woman looked up, realizing who she was talking to. The operator's eyes lit up, a smile spreading onto her face.  _"Miss Schnee! Good afternoon! Would you like me to patch you through to your father? I think your sister Winter might be here as well."_

Weiss' stomach froze at her words.  _Father_ and _Winter are both there? If they find out I called the company…_  Weiss refused to let her mind go down that path. Instead, she focused on the woman on the other end of the call. To her slight surprise, the woman seemed to be acting genuinely friendly, rather than the nervous fear that most SDC employees had when talking to the Schnee family. It was rather refreshing to have someone not be intimidated by her family's reputation.

Weiss' smile grew a bit more genuine as she shook her head. "No, thank you! I was actually wondering if you could find some files for me. I've compiled a short list." She plugged her scroll into the terminal's keyboard, the information transferring automatically.

The operator looked down at a different screen, likely scanning the list Weiss had sent. Weiss suppressed a groan when she saw the woman's eyes narrow ever so slightly.  _"I see. If you don't mind… what may I ask is this for?"_

"School project," Weiss lied smoothly.

The woman hesitated, frowning slightly.  _"Um… There are some sensitive documents on this list, ma'am."_

At the nervous tone in the woman's voice, Weiss felt worry bubble up in the pit of her stomach. She knew that 'school project' line was weak, but it was the best she could come up with given the circumstances. There were few, if any, legitimate reasons for an academy student to want detailed reports of any White Fang movements against the company. And while hers was about as genuine as it could be, she couldn't exactly say:  _"I need these files to help my Faunus ex-White Fang girlfriend take down a terrorist organization."_

…

_...dear Dust, when did my life get so ludicrous?_

"Well, then, I'll be sure to treat them with care," she said lamely, fake-smile in full force. She cringed inwardly when her voice sounded just a little more happy than she'd intended.

The operator stared at her for a moment, before dropping her eyes to a different screen.  _"Right…"_  The woman took a short breath, apprehension clear in her eyes.  _"Very well. The data is being transferred to your scroll now."_

As the sound of the woman's typing came across the call, Weiss suppressed a frown. That was it, that nervousness all her father's employees had whenever she spoke to them. Except this time, Weiss had been the one to put that fear into this woman. If someone found out she was the one to send Weiss this information…

 _Well…_  Weiss thought to herself, stomping down her fledgling insecurities.  _I'll just have to make certain that doesn't happen_.

"Wonderful! That will be all, then." Weiss removed her scroll, moving to get up from the terminal, when the woman spoke again.

" _Are you sure you wouldn't like me to patch you through to your father before you go?"_

Weiss felt her fake smile slip from her face, but she forced it back. "Yes, I'm…"

* * *

" **After we get the info, you can call her and let her know about us."**

* * *

Weiss froze. She felt pressure build in her chest, the phantom feeling of anxiety taking form.

_I… I could do it… right now. I have the time… and Winter is there at the company. Like Ruby said, I wouldn't have to tell her everything that's happened. I could just… start small. Just… talk._

" _Miss Schnee?"_

The operator's voice pulled Weiss out of her musings. She blinked, finding the woman looking at her in concern. Her mouth parted, ready to tell the woman that there was nothing wrong-

"Could you call my sister Winter?"

As soon as the words slipped past Weiss' lips, it was all she could do to not slap her hand over her mouth. As it was, she couldn't stop her eyes widening, or her heart's sudden pounding against her ribs.  _Why did I say that? WHY DID I JUST SAY THAT?!_

The operator took no notice of this, merely blinking at her, before smiling kindly.  _"Of course! One moment, please."_

Weiss was only dimly aware of the woman's words, instead trying to figure out  _what the hell just happened._  Weiss' words were always well thought out and calm If she didn't think she could manage that, she usually opted for staying silent, or changing the subject. She had never just…  _blurted out_  something like that. She wasn't even sure if calling Winter was what she really wanted to do. Why would she do something so impulsive?

…

... _wait… impulsive…_

Being impulsive wasn't something Weiss would do. That was something…

Weiss' eyes widened in horror.

_Dust dammit, Ruby must be rubbing off on me!_

" _Hmm…"_  Again, Weiss' attention was drawn back to the operator. The woman was frowning at a different screen, before she turned back to Weiss, an apologetic look on her face.  _"I'm sorry, Miss Schnee. It seems your sister is currently in a meeting with your father. She's not receiving any calls at the moment."_

Weiss stared back at her. "Oh…" The sound slipped out without her meaning to. A sudden weight seemed to push down on Weiss, at the same time her heart dropped. To her surprise, despite her brain telling her that she should be relieved at having dodged such a wayward bullet, instead she felt… disappointed.

The operator could apparently see this on her face, because she quickly added,  _"But, I could take a message for you… if you want._ "

Weiss hesitated. Did she want that? She tried to form a coherent answer, but with her brain waging an apparent war against the rest of her body, she came up with nothing.

"...Just… tell her I'll try to contact her again," Weiss finally said, her voice a little faint. Biting her lip, she added, "Soon."

The operator smiled at her, typing at her keyboard.  _"Can do. Will that be all, Miss Schnee?"_

"Yes. Thank you."

The woman's smile widened.  _"You're welcome, Miss Schnee. Have a good day!"_  With one final smile, the screen went blank, leaving Weiss to just stare at her own shell shocked expression.

 _I just told Winter I'd try to contact her,_ Weiss thought dumbly.  _She'll be expecting a call from me now… what am I going to say to her? What_ can _I say to her? Do… do I tell her about my relationship? Do I tell her my teammates are my girlfriends? That they're my… Mates? What do I…?_

_**Curiosity. Concern. Worry. Calm.** _

Weiss' eyes widened in surprise, before she let them slide closed, taking a deep breath. She let the emotions wash over her, each one either tinged with a feeling of warm heat or that of cool shade. Yang and Blake, asking what was wrong, telling her to calm down.

Weiss held onto those feelings, taking a few deep, calming breaths. Once she felt her heartbeat slow, she tried to communicate back.

 _I'm… fine,_  she thought, hoping her emotions would reflect her thoughts. Then she frowned, frustrated with herself.  _Okay, I'm not fine. I'm… confused and worried and scared and… lost._

Weiss opened her eyes, her cheeks burning from embarrassment.  _Great, now Yang, Blake, and probably Ruby know how much of a mess I am. Fantastic. They're never going to let me hear the end of…_

_**Bzzz.** _

Weiss jolted in surprise when her scroll vibrated in her hand. Frowning at it, she opened it up, seeing she'd received a new text.

**Y- I'm free 2 talk if U need 2. U OK Snowflake?**

At the same time she read the text, she felt a familiar sense of warm concern brush against her. Her mouth fell open slightly. Then her scroll buzzed again.

**Y- And Y'd Rubes ditch U? :(**

Again, Weiss felt emotions that were not her own, this time annoyance, tinged with a tiny bit of anger. A giggle slipped past Weiss' lips at the feeling, as she could just picture Yang's face when she asked the question. Taking a moment to collect herself, Weiss texted back.

**W- I'll tell you later, back at the dorm.**

She paused for a second, then added:

**W- Thank you.**

A few seconds later, she got a response.

**Y- I'll hold ya 2 that. And no problem! ^_^**

Weiss smiled. She looked back up at the blank terminal screen, seeing her reflection. She nearly laughed at the dopey look on her own face.  _Most unbecoming for a Schnee… oh well._

Getting up from the terminal, Weiss started walking back towards the elevator, past the students still involved with their own calls. She tapped a few times on her scroll, pulling up the new information she'd been sent. Her eyebrows raised a bit as she scrolled through all the files.

 _So many altercations… most of these haven't been made public. There must be something in here that can help Blake. We'll just have to pour through it all together._  Weiss sighed as she found more and more files. Even with her team's help, there was enough information to last them weeks. Not helped by the fact that, as much as she cared for them, Weiss couldn't deny that Yang and Ruby weren't exactly the best when it came to studying.

 _Speaking of which…_  Weiss pulled up her call log, and huffed in annoyance when she found it empty.

_Ruby must still be with Penny. I suppose I'll have to track her down my-_

Weiss jolted mid-step, nearly stumbling as what felt like a bolt of lightning shot from her neck down to the base of her spine.

_**Panic. Worry. Protectiveness. Anxiety. Fear.** _

Weiss stopped breathing, her head snapping towards the array of large windows that made up the room's walls.  _That… that was Ruby. Something's wrong._

Weiss closed her eyes, forcing herself to focus. She tried to zero in on the emotions, on the tingling feeling buzzing beneath her skin. Through the blackness, much further away than she'd expected, a spot of red light shined in the distance. And from what she could tell, it was moving. Fast.

Weiss' eyes snapped open.  _Ruby's running from something. I-I need to get to her._  Her head turned towards the elevator, then to the stairwell door beside it.  _I'm ten stories up, by the time I reach the ground floor…_

An idea struck her. A stupid one, but at the moment, Weiss didn't care. It would work. She'd proven that once already this week.

Weiss ran to the windows, ignoring the baffled looks of the students in the nearby terminals. Scanning quickly, she found the window's latches, and pulled. The window shuddered, and Weiss wasted no time in pushing it open. As the massive pane of glass lifted upwards, Weiss climbed on top of the terminals. She ignored the shouts of surprise and panic around her as she extended her arm out the open window. She twitched her fingers into a familiar pattern, pausing just long enough to make sure she'd succeeded in her attempt.

And jumped.

A shriek of horror sounded behind her as she leapt from the window. Weiss ignored it, bending her knees to soften her landing. Seconds later, her feet touched the cool surface of a glyph, the large snowflake hanging high above the school grounds. Wasting no time, Weiss took off in a run, summoning another glyph a few feet in front and below the first. Weiss leapt from the glyph, landing on the second.

As the first glyph phased out of existence, Weiss was already forming the third. Run, glyph, jump. Run, glyph, jump. Over and over, Weiss kept up a rhythm, leaping from glyph to glyph, all the while trying to pinpoint where exactly Ruby was.

 _How did she get so far away so fast?_  Weiss thought as she tried to jump against a sudden gust of wind.  _She's practically downtown!_

Weiss winced as another high wind buffed her from the side mid-jump. Her landing was a little wobbly, but she pushed on. She formed the next glyph, when Ruby's emotions suddenly spiked.

_**Panic. Fear. Panic.** _

Weiss' heart hammered against her chest as she sucked in a harsh breath. She pushed herself to move faster, her hands flying through the motions to summon glyph after glyph. Buildings passed below her as she crossed the border from Beacon into Vale, but Ruby still felt so far away.

 _Come on,_ Weiss thought desperately.  _Ruby is in trouble._

Weiss braced herself as she landed on another glyph. She could feel her legs starting to tire, tingling with each jump.

_She needs my help._

She felt another jolt of panic from Ruby. Her body complained but she kept moving. The tingling moved up her legs, creeping into her lower body.

_I have to get to her. I have to be quicker._

The tingling moved to her chest. Her lungs were burning.

_I have to move…_

She took another leap, the tingling reaching her neck as her feet landed, ready to run.

_Faster._

_**Whoosh!** _

Suddenly, everything went white. To Weiss' alarm, she couldn't feel her glyph beneath her feet, and she could feel herself falling. In a panic, Weiss squeezed her eyes shut, throwing her arms out to form a hasty glyph under her. She landed on her stomach hard, knocking the wind out of her.

Pushing herself shakily to her knees, Weiss opened her eyes, looking down through her glyph. She was hanging just a few stories above a city street. A few cars waited at a stop light, some people. Walking down the sidewalks window shopping.

Weiss took a few deep breaths, trying to ignore the blood rushing in her ears. She looked back up at the sky, her eyes squinting in confusion.  _What… what just…?_

_**Panic. PANIC!** _

Weiss' eyes shot wide, her head snapping down to the street. To her abject horror, Ruby came tumbling through the air out of an alleyway. The sniper skidded across the pavement, into the street…

Right in the path of a speeding truck.

" _ **Ruby!"**_  Weiss' scream tore from her throat at the same moment the truck's horn blew.

She watched in terror as Ruby leapt to her feet, spinning around to face the truck rushing towards her. Suddenly, someone ran out of the alley, pushing Ruby out of the way.

**CRASH!**

Weiss stared with wide eyes, not quite sure what she was seeing. Where Ruby had been just a few seconds ago, Penny now stood, a crater carved in the pavement around her. Her hands were on the crumpled hood of the truck, the old man behind the wheel staring at Penny in fear. On the sidewalk, Ruby had the same look on her face, her silver eyes wide.

Penny looked between the two, then at the onlookers gathering on the sidewalk. She looked down at her hands, flinching, before balling them into fists. She immediately bolted, pushing past Ruby and running into a different alleyway. Ruby ran after her seconds later.

Weiss blinked at the street below, trying to make sense of what just happened. Then, she saw two people run out of the alley Ruby and Penny had come from. Atlas soldiers. This made her frown. Why were Ruby and Penny running from Atlas soldiers? Weiss summoned a few glyphs, wanting to get down to the street as fast as possible.

Hurrying to reach the ground, Weiss didn't notice the red glow fading from her Mark, nor the white rose petals dancing in the wind behind her.


	7. Of Soldiers and Souls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betaed by Ril_Locke [(Covert Weapon)](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/926755/Covert-Weapon)
> 
> [LiLaL'S TV Tropes Page](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/LinkedInLifeAndLove)
> 
> [Cross-posted on FF.net](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11689623/30/Linked-in-Life-and-Love)

 

**Vale Outskirts**

It's been said that every city, no matter how beautiful its skyline or kind its people, has a dark side hidden just beneath the surface.

As Sun looked at the crumbling buildings and cracked roads around him, he could tell that Vale was no exception. While not quite the slum that he'd expected from Blake's description, the street they were walking down clearly lacked the warmth and charm most of the city had. Graffitied walls, litter everywhere, and more than a few broken windows; it was more than enough to make him uneasy.

Sun looked upwards, the now orange sky slowly tinting darker. The rally was set to start in just a few minutes, in a warehouse they'd passed just one street over. The plan was to wait until it was just about to start so they would be the last people through the door. Hopefully, that would lessen the chance of anyone recognizing Blake and put them closer to the exit in case things went pear-shaped.

It was a good plan, he had to admit. Unfortunately, right when they were about to enter, they hit a snag

Sun turned back to Blake, watching her expression carefully. The cat Faunus leaned against a graffitied wall, her eyes closed as her face twitched every few seconds. Her hands were opening and closing every few seconds, her shoulders tense.

Sun let out a huff, hating how useless he felt. They'd been not ten feet from the door when Blake had tensed up, Ruby's name spilling from her lips. Sun just counted his lucky stars that he'd noticed, otherwise, Blake's little freakout would have been in front of the dozen or so Faunus milling around outside the warehouse. Instead, he quickly wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulled her close and just kept walking. He'd gotten a funny look from some ram Faunus, but he just grinned and whispered "Nerves" as they'd passed, like that explained everything.

Now all Sun could do was just watch as Blake fought against the very clear urge to run to Ruby, and Weiss, seeing as her name had soon followed once Sun had lead Blake around the corner.

 _Man, this part of being Mated must suck,_  Sun thought to himself, having pieced together what was likely happening to Blake.  _Knowing your Mates are in trouble and there being jack-all you can do about it? Ouch._

His thoughts were broken when he heard Blake let out a deep breath. Her shoulders sagged in relief, her cat ears drooping. She opened her eyes, staring down at the ground.

"You okay?" Sun asked carefully.

Blake took a second, shaking her head clear. "Y-yeah, I think so. Sorry about that."

"What happened?"

She frowned. "I'm not sure. Ruby was scared and worried about something. Weiss started moving towards her, then…"

"Then…?" Sun goaded.

Blake shrugged. "I don't know. It was like… she vanished for a moment. Then she felt terrified of something. Then both her and Ruby were scared."

"Geez," Sun muttered in distress. "Are they okay?"

Blake took a few deep breaths. "I think so. They're both worried and confused, but they're calmer now." She looked down sharply, her cheeks tinting in embarrassment. "Sorry you had to see that. And… thank you for getting me out of there."

Sun waved her off, smiling. "Don't bother. New relationship, I figured a few things are probably overwhelming. It's cool. Though, do me a favor?" When Blake looked quizzically at him, he gave a joking grin. "Don't tell Yang I did the 'boyfriend lead-and-walk' thing? I saw that look she gave Nep earlier, and I like my internal organs right where they are, thank you very much."

Blake grinned back at him. "Sure." She glanced around the area, seeing several Faunus making their way towards the warehouse. "We need to get going. We're going to miss the rally."

She went to walk around the corner, when Sun grabbed her by the arm. "Hold up for a sec. We got a small problem first."

"What is it?"

"Um, well…" Sun rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Not quite sure how to phrase this… when you were, uh,  _checking_  on Ruby and Weiss, I kinda noticed something that might be a bit of a problem."

Blake frowned. "What?"

Sun grimaced. "First off, I'd like to say that your Mate's Mark has a very impressive design, shows off your bond with your Mates wonderfully, very colorful…"

"Sun…" Blake said warningly, eyes narrowed as she tried to figure out where he was going with this.

Sun let out a groan. "Look, it's just… there's going to be nothing but Faunus and White Fang members in there, right?"

Blake nodded, still confused.

"... you do realize the Schnee logo is part of your Mate's Mark, right?"

In an instant, Blake felt her whole body go numb. No, she hadn't realized that, not fully. Blake was suddenly aware of how much the image of that snowflake had shifted away from the company to her, and had become something she attributed as a part of Weiss. The white-hot rage she'd once felt seeing that snowflake, while still there, had been buried beneath the image of a white-haired girl with crystal-blue eyes that came to mind instead.

To every other Faunus in the city, however? While the snowflake in her Mark was blue instead of white (for reasons none of them had figured out yet), it was still very clearly the Schnee logo.

And she was about to walk into a  _White Fang_  rally with it proudly on display.

"What do I do?" Blake hissed, slapping her hand over her Mark. "How did I not realize this?!"

Sun could only shrug. "Stress? You've been running a mile a minute since I met up with you today." When Blake's only response was to  _glare_  at him, Sun backtracked. "Okay, um… cover it up with something? You got a necklace or something you could wear?"

Blake blinked. She looked down at her jacket, slowly reaching into one of its pockets. Hesitantly, she pulled out a folded up stretch of black fabric.

Sun's eyebrows raised when he saw the familiar bow. "You still have that thing on you?"

Blake looked down at the bow, frowning. "I don't want to wear it anymore, but… it didn't feel right to throw it away." Quickly unfolding the bow, she wrapped it a few times around her neck, tying it off with a simple knot. "How's that?"

Sun looked her over, focusing on her Mark. "Not bad. I can still see the other three symbols, and the bottom spike of the snowflake, but other than that… I think you're good."

Blake nodded at him, satisfied. Then she frowned sadly as she ran her fingers across the hidden snowflake. "Sorry, Weiss," she murmured softly.

Not sure what to say to that, Sun simply bobbed his head towards the warehouse, which was quickly filling to capacity. "C'mon," he said, flashing a smile. "Let's go find out what our Fangy friends are up to."

Blake smiled back, appreciating the gesture. "Let's go."

* * *

**Alleyway in Downtown Vale**

Ruby was freaking out.

Things had been going so well, too. She'd caught up with Penny not too long after leaving Weiss (who, she'd noted to herself, she was going to owe  _big time_  for pretty much abandoning on the CCT's doorstep). After finally convincing the odd girl to talk to her, Ruby had let Penny lead her into the city. It had been nice, just hanging out with someone other than her teammates or the other Beacon students. She had just been about to get Penny to open up, to tell her what was bothering her so much, when they'd stumbled across a display stage for the Atlassian Military.

Ruby had been mesmerized by the new type of robots meant to replace the older models, not to mention the giant mech they had displayed, but Penny had seemed… nervous. As the display went on, she'd gotten more and more on edge, telling Ruby that they should leave. Ruby hadn't really noticed, too enthralled by all the new weaponry, until Penny suddenly took off in a dead run away from the stage. Ruby had been confused for all of a second, before she noticed the two Atlassian soldiers running towards them.

After that, it was all a blur of running and ducking through alleyways, Ruby trying to lose the soldiers while at the same time catch up to Penny. And when she finally did…

It was such a stupid mistake. No doubt Weiss would tell her the same thing later. She'd grabbed Penny around the waist, jumping onto a wall to rocket them away in the blur of her Semblance, but… she'd landed wrong. She could feel it the moment she'd touched the wall, the way her ankle had twisted when she pushed off. The pain was just enough to make her lose focus, to stop her Semblance and send the two of them skidding across the ground and Ruby into the street.

Then…

Ruby risked a glance back as she ran down the alley after Penny, back at the wrecked truck and broken road.

How? How had Penny done that? Even Yang would have had to sit down after stopping a truck that big, moving that fast, but Penny… she did it like it was nothing! She hadn't struggled, she hadn't grunted in effort; the truck just stopped dead the moment it hit her. And afterward… she wasn't even breathing hard!

Ruby turned back ahead, ignoring the throbbing in her ankle (she could already feel her aura working to heal the damage). She turned a corner and found Penny standing at a crossroads in the alley, looking frantically between the different paths. She could hear the girl muttering to herself. "Oh… where do I…? Uh… Um…"

"Penny!" Ruby called out as she neared the panicking girl, who stiffened at her call, whirling around in panic. "Please! What is going on?" Ruby couldn't help it, the questions just started tumbling out. "Why are you running? How did you do that?!"

The sheer helplessness in Penny's wide green eyes broke Ruby's heart. "I-I can't! Everything's fine- _hic!_ " Penny's whole body jerked as she suddenly hiccuped. The girl grimaced, wrapping her arms around her stomach.

"I-I don't want to talk about it- _hic!_ "

* * *

**Moments Earlier**

Weiss was stupefied as she approached the carnage on the road. The pavement was cracked and shattered, a ten-foot indent in the road, as if something had dropped out of the sky and crashed there. In the crater, a delivery truck sat smoking, its front end crumpled in on itself.

People were starting to gather around the crater, newcomers asking what had happened. Weiss could hear snippets of different conversations, people explaining that a teenage girl had stopped the speeding truck without effort.

Not that Weiss needed to be told that. She'd seen the whole event herself. Though, she was still working on believing it.

Doing her best to avoid drawing attention to herself, Weiss slipped around the crowd and made her way to the alleyway opening. She scanned the crowd quickly, taking note of the two Atlassian soldiers she had seen before. To their credit, whatever reason they had been chasing Penny and Ruby for had been put on hold, the two soldiers instead taking time to check on the people around the crash site. One of them was questioning bystanders, while the other was helping the old man out of his wrecked truck with the support of a civilian.

Seeing that they were occupied, Weiss ducked into the alley. Through the Link, she could tell that Ruby had stopped just up ahead, and was filled with just as much confusion and shock as Weiss herself was. Weiss picked up the pace, hoping that between Ruby and Penny, she would get some answers.

 _What happened?_  she thought to herself.  _What were you two running from? And what… was that? Some type of Semblance? It must have been. How else could Penny just…_ stop _that truck?_

Weiss kept turning the event over in her head as she marched up the alleyway, nearing the corner. She could feel Ruby just around it-

" _Penny, if you could just tell me what's wrong, I can help you!"_

-and hear her, apparently.

Weiss' brow furrowed at the panic and frustration in Ruby's voice. While her first instinct was to see what was going on, something (probably the slight tingling sensation at the back of her mind) told her that she shouldn't interrupt. So, she took a page out of Ruby's book.

Pressing herself against the building wall, Weiss peered around the corner, hoping that the two girls wouldn't notice her.

* * *

Penny curled in on herself, ducking her head so as not to meet Ruby's eyes.

Ruby stared at her helplessly. Penny turned away from Ruby, she was shaking. "No! No, no! You wouldn't understand!"

 _Understand what?_  "Let me try!" Ruby yelled desperately. "You can trust me!"

Penny shook her head, still facing away from Ruby. Then, her shoulders tensed, and the girl spun around, clutching her tightened fists to her chest. The sheer helplessness in her eyes made Ruby flinch.

"You're my friend, right?" The mix of desperation and hope in her voice nearly tore Ruby's heart in two. "You promise you're my friend?"

Ruby didn't even hesitate. Reaching out, she wrapped Penny's hands in her own, giving them a squeeze. She tried to muster up her best smile, making sure that Penny could see the honesty in her eyes. "I promise."

Penny's eyes widened, both at Ruby's soft voice and at the hands now holding her own. She looked down at their clasped hands. She closed her eyes. "Ruby…"

With Ruby still grasping them, Penny slowly turned her hands over, opening her fists.

"...I'm not a real girl."

Ruby stared at the hands she was holding. She blinked. Then blinked again. "Oh," she said softly, her mouth opening slightly in surprise.

Penny's palms had been ripped open when she stopped the truck, but instead of muscle and blood beneath her skin, Ruby saw grey metal. Plates of metal made up the different parts of her hands, a faint green light glowing in the spaces between them.

"Penny, I… I don't understand," Ruby muttered.

Penny opened her eyes, staring down at her damaged hands. "Most girls are born, but I was made." Her lips curved up slightly, a hint of pride in her voice. "I'm the world's first synthetic person capable of generating an Aura." Her smile quickly faded as she balled up her fists, hanging her head in shame. "I'm not real…"

Ruby's eyes darted up, meeting Penny's saddened face. She frowned at the self-described synthetic girl's words. Knitting her brow together, Ruby moved her hands over Penny's, pulling at her fingers to loosen her fists. Penny shot her an uncertain look, but allowed Ruby to open her hands.

Ruby stared at the grey metal of Penny's palms for a moment. Then, slowly, she rubbed her thumbs against Penny's palms. The metal was smooth and warm to the touch. After a moment, Ruby noticed a slight trembling feeling against her skin, a hum coming from under the metal.

Ruby looked up to meet Penny's eyes. A soft smile played on her lips. "Of course you are." her grin widened when she saw the stunned look on Penny's face. "You think just because you've got nuts and bolts instead of squishy guts that makes you any less real than me?"

Penny blinked at her, looking very unsure of Ruby's words. "I don't… um…" She leaned towards Ruby, squinting at her. "You…"

" _Miss Schnee?"_

Both of them jumped at the sudden deep voice coming from around the corner. Ruby suddenly felt a slew of extra emotions, each tinged with a slight chill.

_Surprise, Worry. Panic, then Resolve._

Ruby hesitated for just a second, before pulling sharply on Penny's wrists, pushing the girl and herself against the wall and out of sight. Slowly, she peered around the corner, her eyes widening at what she saw.

* * *

Weiss whirled around, startled by the call of her Dust-forsaken last name. She'd been so focused on the conversation before her, her brain working overtime trying to process the rather unbelievable and fantastical revelation about her quirky new friend, that she hadn't noticed the footsteps approaching her from behind. When her eyes fell on the interlopers, her stomach dropped.

The two soldiers from before were standing just a few paces away from her, staring at her behind their visored helmets. Though she couldn't see their faces, their confusion was made clear by the tone of voice one of them had used. The awkward way they both straightened up once she turned her eyes to them did not help matters.

Weiss heard a shuffling sound behind her, and Weiss had a feeling she knew what it was. A quick scan of the Link told her that, yes, Ruby was now just a few feet behind her, just on the other side of the corner. She could feel her girlfriend's curiosity, followed by surprise, then worry, mixed with protectiveness. Whether she was feeling protective of Penny or herself, Weiss couldn't tell. It was a rather strong feeling, though. Maybe both?

That protective feeling bolstered Weiss' own, making the girl set her lips into a firm line. Ignoring the jumbled mess that was her inner thoughts ( _Penny is a robot; how do you even_ begin _to react to that?_ ), Weiss straightened up her posture, lifting her chin in a well-practiced act of superiority.

"Can I help you, officers?" she asked, her tone polite, but with a slight edge to it.

The two soldiers glanced at each other. One shook his head, while the other subtly shrugged. Looking back at her, the one on the left cleared his throat. "Um… Our apologies, Miss Schnee. We were following a... " He hesitated, likely thinking over the best way to phrase his words. "...person of great importance," he said after an awkward moment. "We didn't expect to encounter you here."

Weiss stared at the two soldiers, her mind racing. There were a few ways she could handle this, none of them guaranteed to work. Should she try and play dumb? No, then they'd just go past her and find Penny. Maybe tell them she saw Penny run down a different alleyway and send them running the wrong way? Possibly, but it would leave these two soldiers wandering Vale for who-knows-how-long, and they still might double back and find her anyway Maybe-

Weiss blinked as an idea came to her. Maybe she should try a more direct approach.

 _Well… they're already expecting me to act like a Schnee._  Tilting her head ever so slightly, her eyes narrowing just a bit, Weiss tried to emulate the way she'd seen Winter interact with her subordinates. "Oh? May I ask who this person is? Perhaps I've seen them."

The soldiers looked at each other again, and Weiss could just imagine what was going through their heads. After all, while she was technically a civilian, she was also a Schnee. And when it came to those from Atlas, being a Schnee gave you certain rights.

...completely bogus, borderline illegal rights, which meant no one from the Atlassian military actually had to tell her anything. But, if she was lucky, these two regular soldiers wouldn't know that.

One of them seemed to take the initiative, taking a step towards her. "We're looking for a girl about your age, Miss. Orange hair, green eyes, wearing a bow and green skirt. We saw her go this way with a younger girl in a red cloak."

Weiss felt Ruby's nervousness spike behind her. Weiss tried to send her a feeling of calm, telling her to relax… then sent over a bit of sheepish remorse.

Because she had a feeling that the next words out of her mouth were going to freak Ruby out.

Putting on her best look of surprise, Weiss said, "Orange hair and green…" Realization came over her face, and she smiled humorously at the soldiers. "You must mean Penny!"

In an instant, Ruby's worry shot up to outright startled panic and disbelief. Weiss could just imagine the look on her face.

 _Don't freak out, don't freak out!_  Weiss thought desperately, praying Ruby would feel the emotions behind her thoughts.  _I have a plan, just trust me!_

To her relief, Ruby's panic lessened almost immediately, simmering down to a feeling of unease. There was a feeling of trust behind it, though, which Weiss took to heart.

While Weiss and Ruby had their brief emotional exchange, the two soldiers took a step back from her in shock. Looking closely, she could see their eyes widen behind their visors.

"You know Penny?" One asked in disbelief.

Weiss frowned at him, looking perfectly affronted. "Of course. She's a friend of mine."

Somehow, their eyes widened further. Then they narrowed in suspicion. "She is?"

Weiss' frown deepened. "Yes, she is. May I ask why you are looking for her?"

Again, they hesitated. Then the one on the left sighed in resignation, standing up a little straighter. "Part of our assignment is to keep an eye on her for her father, but she went off on her own today to explore the city. We were told to bring her back to General Ironwood if we saw her, but she ran off when we did, along with another girl."

Well, Weiss had to give them credit. She had not been expecting such a direct answer, and it briefly threw her for a loop. Weiss collected herself almost immediately, her surprise masked behind feigned realization. "Oh, my. I didn't realize we would be causing you gentlemen so much trouble."

The soldiers blinked behind their visors. "'We'?" the right one asked in confusion.

Weiss just smiled, trying to ignore Ruby's nervousness and growing confusion. "Earlier today, my partner Ruby and I encountered Penny on the Beacon grounds. We talked for a bit, before deciding to spend the day together. I still had some business to take care of at the Academy, so Penny and Ruby went ahead into the city. We were meant to meet up here when I was finished."

The two soldiers were silent at her explanation. The one on the left turned his head slightly from side to side, looking over the alleyway. "You told them to meet you...here?" While his tone was still respectful, Weiss could hear the skepticism in it.

Weiss made a show of following his gaze, lingering over the graffiti and cracked walls. Her smile turned sheepish. "There's a quaint little cafe I like not too far from here. As for the alley, well… I figured discretion was in order, given my family's fame and Penny's… situation."

"Y-you know about Penny?" the left one murmured faintly. "That she's…"

Weiss' eyes narrowed, a frown on her lips. "Yes," she said, her voice lowering to a hiss. "And I would ask you not to speak of her status  _in public_." She stressed her ending words, hoping that knowledge of a synthetic lifeform really was as classified as she assumed.

The other soldier apparently agreed, shooting his partner a quick glare. He then turned back to Weiss. "Miss Schnee, we saw Penny and your partner run this way. Do you have any idea where they are?"

 _Ah. Well… that's about as far as I can take this charade, isn't it?_  Weiss thought as she tried to think up a plausible answer. "I only just got here myself," she evenly said. "Perhaps they went down a different path than the one I came from?" As she spoke, Weiss was praying that Ruby would catch onto what she was about to attempt. She pulled her scroll out of her pocket, showing it to the soldiers. "I could try to call them, if you'd like. They couldn't have gone far."

After a moment, the soldier on the right nodded. "That would be most appreciated, Miss-"

"Weiss!"

Weiss felt her nerves somehow lessen and increase at the same time. "Oh, that's them now." She looked over her shoulder, finding Ruby coming around the corner with a slightly-too-wide smile on her face, dragging a bewildered and very nervous Penny behind her by the arm. Weiss saw the way Penny's eyes darted between herself and the soldiers. For not being 'real', she saw a striking amount of fear in Penny's green eyes.

"Sorry, Weiss," Ruby said, rubbing the back of her head with her free hand. She smiled sheepishly, though Weiss could tell it was forced. "We made a wrong turn and had to double back. Oh!" Ruby let out a startled gasp as she looked at the soldiers. "Who are your friends?"

Weis held back a groan at Ruby's poorly feigned enthusiasm.  _Note to self, get Ruby acting lessons._

Thankfully, Ruby's words were ignored. The moment Penny came around the corner, the soldiers sagged in relief. "Penny," the right one started, staring past Weiss and Ruby towards the synthetic girl. "You know you can't just wander around the city by yourself like this."

Penny seemed to shrink in on herself, ducking her head as she met his visored gaze. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to explore the city for a little while."

"Why did you run from us?" the left one interjected, exasperation in his tone.

Penny shrank further, her shoulders hunching. "I didn't want to go back yet. And…" She glanced nervously between Ruby and Weiss. "I was afraid I'd get my friends in trouble."

Both soldiers started, saying nothing. The right one slowly panned to look at Ruby, then Weiss. He fixed Penny with a firm look. "These two really are your friends?"

Penny blinked at him, before smiling broadly. "Yes, they are! Ruby is so much fun to be around, and Weiss has been ever so kind."

Penny's words took Weiss by surprise. She and Penny had spent almost no time together, yet the girl's tone sounded genuine. Weiss allowed herself a small smile.

The soldier looked between Weiss and Ruby in scrutiny. Weiss could feel the skepticism in his gaze, and met it with a determined look of her own. After a moment, the soldier seemed to relent. He let out a small huff, a small bit of kindness creeping into his voice. "Fine. We should probably return to the General, Penny. He and your father are probably worried."

Penny stiffened at that, her eyes widening. Then her whole body slumped in resignation, green eyes falling to the ground. "Okay…"

Ruby quickly looked between Penny and the soldiers, panic and worry rolling off her in waves. "Wait a second!" she nearly shouted. She then wilted when both soldiers looked at her in tandem, eyes hidden beneath their helmets. "I mean… please, Mr. Soldier… man… sir…" She tapered off awkwardly under their gaze. Still shrinking under their scrutiny, Ruby asked, "Can't Penny stay out for a little bit longer? Just a few more hours?"

"I'm afraid not, Miss," the right one said. "We are under specific orders to bring Penny back to base if we saw her."

"But…" Ruby's eyes flicked between them and Penny, who was staring at Ruby with a mix of confusion and… hope, maybe? Then Ruby looked towards Weiss, and the heiress found herself pinned beneath both those silver eyes and the emotions behind them.

_Helplessness. Desperation. Worry. Sadness._

Holding back a groan, Weiss stepped forward to save her poor partner. "Gentlemen, surely there is nothing so urgent that it requires Penny right this second."

The soldiers paused, then looked at each other. Weiss could practically hear the question they were both thinking: She's a Schnee. What do we do?

Weiss hated it. Having her family's reputation was bad enough. Purposefully using it to get her way felt like she was taking a massive step backward. But if it helped get that scared-puppy look off Ruby's face… she could put up with the feeling, at least for the moment.

"I… don't know, Miss Schnee," one of them said hesitantly, turning back to face her. "We are under orders…"

"I can assure you, sirs, she will be well taken care of. We'll even make an effort to stay away from prying eyes, if you'd like."

The soldier shifted his weight nervously. "I don't know…" He glanced at his fellow soldier, who seemed just as lost. "We really don't have the authority to make that decision."

A sudden thought struck Weiss. One that seemed just as likely to backfire spectacularly as it was to work perfectly. With an innocent look, she held out her scroll for them to see. "If you'd like, I could call my sister Winter to ask permission." At her sister's name, both soldiers stiffened. Then Weiss opened her scroll, adding, "I believe she's in a meeting with my father at the moment, but I'm sure they wouldn't mind being interrupted for-"

"That won't be necessary!" the one on the left practically shouted. "There's no need to bother Specialist Winter with this… right?" he looked over at his fellow soldier, hope in his voice.

The other man stared back silently. He looked over the three girls, his gaze lingering on Penny. She stared back at him, her eyes hopeful and pleading. Finally, he sighed in resignation. "I… suppose not."

Penny blinked at him, stunned. "You… you mean…?"

"Our shift ends at 2200. Be back at base before then."

Penny was silent for a moment, then her face split into a large smile. She snapped into a salute, beaming. "Yes sir, Lieutenant. I will see you then."

The soldier saluted back. "Stay out of trouble. And…" The man's tone softened a bit, a smile in his voice. "Have fun with your friends, Penny." He then nodded to Weiss and Ruby. "Miss Schnee, Ma'am." Gesturing at the other soldier, who nodded to Penny as well, the two members of the Atlassian military made their way back down the alley.

Weiss watched them in slight disbelief, her shoulders tight. She didn't relax until the two men had disappeared around the corner. She let out a deep breath, her shoulders sagging in relief.  _I can't believe that worked. That could have gone so-_  "Hrk!"

Weiss grunted as something suddenly slammed into her side, wrapping around her.

"Weiss!" Ruby squealed as she crushed the heiress in a hug. "That was amazing! You're the best girlfriend ever!"

Face heating from the surprise praise, Weiss gave Ruby a playful smirk. "I'll be sure to tell Blake you said that."

Instantly, Ruby reared back her head from its place against Weiss' neck eyes wide with panic. "Uh… well, I mean… um…" she stuttered, grasping for a defense. Then she saw Weiss' widening grin. She pouted, her cheeks puffing out slightly. "Oh, you know what I meant!"

Weiss allowed herself a small laugh at her partner's expense, then turned her attention to Penny. The girl was standing off to the side, watching the two in curiosity. When blue eyes met green, Penny quickly averted her gaze.

In that moment, awkwardness filled the alley. Ruby seemed to notice, pulling away from Weiss to look between her and her friend, concern plain on her face.

Weiss was at a loss. She wanted the soldiers gone so she could process the whole situation, but now that she had, she had no idea what to do, what to say. How do you talk to someone about how they were a robot? Was that even the proper term? What do-

"How did you know?"

Penny's hesitant voice jolted Weiss from her thoughts. She met the girl's eyes, which quickly darted away again.

"Know what?" Weiss asked, her tone carefully neutral.

Penny shifted her weight from one foot to the other (why would a robot do that?), slowly meeting Weiss' eyes. "About your sister." When Weiss just blinked back at her, confused, she elaborated. "All information about my development is highly classified. Specialist Winter is one of General Ironwood's most trusted officers, and one of the only people to have known about me before I was… completed. I doubt she would share military secrets with anyone outside the know. How did you know that your sister was part of my project?"

Weiss let out a small sound of understanding.  _A fair question. The answer, however…_

"Honestly?" Weiss' eyes darted away for a moment. "I… didn't."

Penny was taken aback by this, her eyes widening. "What?"

Weiss stomped down the urge to bite her lip, forcing herself to explain. "I assumed that the first ever… 'synthetic person'?" She paused, hoping she'd gotten the term right. When Penny gave a small nod, she went on. "...would be highly classified. Winter is always working close to General Ironwood, so… I guessed."

Penny tilted her head a little, perplexed. "That seems rather… risky."

Weiss nodded in concession. "I blame Ruby. Her impulsiveness is contagious."

"Hey!"

Weiss cracked a smile at Ruby's outrage, and saw Penny's lip twitch upwards. Her eyes drifted downwards to Penny's hands, still clenched firmly into fists at her sides. Penny noticed her gaze, quickly crossing her arms with a nervous look on her face.

Weiss frowned at that. She glanced at Ruby, who frowned back, concern in her silver eyes as she turned back to Penny. Weiss did the same. "Penny?" she asked.

Green eyes met icy blue. "Yes?"

Weiss hesitated for a moment, thinking over her options. Still holding Penny's gaze, she extended her hand, palm up. "May I?"

Penny's eyes widened. She glanced at Ruby, who gave her an encouraging nod. Slowly, Penny laid her hand in Weiss', the bare metal of her palm gleaming in the evening light.

With her free hand, Weiss ran her fingers across Penny's palm, feeling the warmth the metal gave off.

"Penny," she started, eyes never leaving the girl's broken skin. "Why do you think you're not real?"

Penny was surprised by the question, then followed Weiss' gaze, frowning at the metal. "I wasn't born. I was built. I can think for myself, I can feel emotion, but… it's all programming. I was made to be the perfect simulation of a human being… and that's all I am. A simulation of life. Not the real thing."

"Penny, that's not true!" Ruby piped up, grasping Penny's forearm "You're our friend! That's real."

Penny smiled at Ruby. "I know, Ruby, and I'm thankful for that. But-"

"No buts!" Ruby said sternly, startling Penny when she shoved a finger in her face. "You're not just a simulation, Penny. You have a heart. A soul." She placed her hand over her chest. "I can feel it."

Penny stared at Ruby with wide eyes, her lips parting slightly. "Ruby…" she murmured faintly.

"A soul…"

They both turned their attention back to Weiss, who was still looking over Penny's hand. Ruby noticed the Weiss' eyes were narrowed slightly, irises shaking slightly like they always did when Weiss' mind was moving at a rapid pace. Weiss suddenly raised her head, meeting Penny's eyes. "Penny, you said earlier that you can generate an aura?"

Penny blinked, then nodded. "Yes… why do you ask?"

Weiss nodded back, still mulling something over as she let Penny's hand drop. Then she smiled, soft and humorous. "Then I think you answered your own question. What do you know about the myths behind aura?"

Penny frowned, not following. "Not much. Most of the information in my… data bank," she said the word awkwardly, unsure about referring to her synthetic nature so casually. "...is purely scientific."

Ruby, who had been just as confused as Penny, physically jolted when she realized where Weiss was going with this. She smiled at Penny, her beaming grin just serving to confuse the android even more.

Weiss elaborated. "One of the main beliefs about aura- and one that both Ruby and myself believe- is that aura is actually our souls made manifest."

Ruby's grin widened even further. "And if you have an aura…"

Penny looked between them both, the gears in her head (no pun intended) turning. Slowly, her eyes widened in realization. "You think that, since I have an aura… I have a soul?"

Weiss nodded, a satisfied smile on her lips. "It's rather hard to fathom how someone with a soul could be anything other than 'real'."

Penny blinked. Then again. Weiss thought she actually saw Penny's eyes flash briefly. "You… you two really think I'm real?" Her voice was hesitant, almost scared.

Ruby nodded vigorously, Weiss giving a curt one of her own, still smiling.

Penny went completely still, a look of awe on her face, allowing the two partners to notice for the first time how Penny's chest never moved like one would expect from a living, breathing person. Then Penny lunged.

Grabbing each girl around the waist with one arm, Penny pulled Weiss and Ruby into a hug that put Yang's bear hugs to shame. Weiss was certain she heard Ruby's ribs crack… or was that her own?

"Weiss… Ruby…" Penny rasped out as she squeezed them, her voice thick with emotion. "Oh, you're the best friends anyone could have!"

Struggling to breathe, Weiss gasped out, "I… try…"

Ruby wasn't much better off. 'I can see why your father wanted to protect such a… delicate flower…" Even strangled, Weiss could hear the slight sarcasm in her voice.

 _Her father?_  Weiss made a note to ask about that later.

Penny released them, oblivious to their gasps of air when she did. "So, um…" Penny placed her arms behind her back, shuffling her feet awkwardly. "I'm not sure where to go from here. Is there something you two would like to do?"

After getting her breath back, Ruby spoke. "Well…" Then she blinked, realizing something. "Oh! Me and Weiss were going to meet up with Blake and Yang at a club downtown. Want to come with us?"

Weiss shot Ruby a look, frowning in disapproval. "Ruby…"

"What?" Ruby asked defensively. "We were!"

"Yes, to meet about…" She glanced at Penny, who was looking between them in confusion. "...the plan," she whispered.

At that, Ruby just gave another infuriating smile. "It's fine. We can trust Penny."

"Yes, but…" Weiss noted the determined glint in Ruby's eyes, as well as the sheer resolution she was feeling. Weiss let out a resigned sigh. "I'm not going to win this argument, am I?"

Ruby's grin was almost  _too_  genuine. "Nope!"

Weiss groaned in defeat. "Well… Sun and Neptune already know, I suppose," she rationalized to herself. She pulled out her scroll, bringing up her contacts. "Just let me text Blake and Yang so they know we'll have a plus-one." She started typing out a message, muttering to herself. "I suppose I'll call a cab while I'm at it…"

Penny frowned at the exchange. "If it's really that much trouble…"

"It's fine, Penny," Weiss said as she closed her scroll, starting down the alleyway towards a different road, away from the truck wreck that was likely still there. "Just a… team project that keeps expanding outside the team. We'll tell you about it on the way."

Ruby nodded, following Weiss. "Yep! And we can answer any questions you may have!"

Penny smiled back at Ruby, walking alongside the two partners. "Okay. Actually, could I ask one now?"

"Sure!"

"When did you two get matching tattoos?"

* * *

**White Fang Rally**

As the warehouse quickly filled, Roman Torchwick stayed out of sight, standing just behind the massive black curtains at the back of the main stage. He watched in mild amusement as several White Fang members ran back and forth around the warehouse, finding their marks to give the best appearance of strength they could. With the tip of his cane, he parted the curtain just enough to peek out at the crowd.

 _Word sure gets around,_  he mused to himself as he eyed the hundred-or-so Faunus youths gathering before the stage. He tried to see if he could spot a certain set of black cat ears, but between the mass of bodies and those annoying masks everyone was wearing, they all just blended together.

Pulling out his scroll, he typed a quick message to Neo, who he'd sent to get a better vantage point on the crowd.

**RT- Any sign of a certain alley cat?**

A few seconds later, she responded.

**N- No. More ppl coming in, tho.**

Roman hummed in thought. This was the largest gathering the White Fang had had all month, publically at least. After that whole debacle at the docks, Roman figured that little black cat would take the first chance she had to look into the White Fang. If there was ever a time to do so, this was it.

 _Though, if she doesn't show,_  he thought,  _I'll at least have more time to plan. Maybe nab another Paladin to upgrade._

He looked up at his new pride and joy, grinning widely at the hulking mass of metal standing thirty feet tall.

In the back of his mind, he knew that it'd be better if nothing happened. He was already in hot water with Cinder over putting Beacon on lockdown the previous weekend, something she had made  _abundantly_  clear the last time they'd talked. If this rally went off without a hitch, it would make his life so much easier.

But… there was something he needed to know. After going through the school records Neo had swiped, he'd found something… interesting. He still didn't know how to go ahead with that info. He'd  _had_  a whole revenge plan in mind involving a Paladin and four snot-nosed brats, with the end result being four crimson smears across the Vale pavement, but now…

Roman shook his head, pushing the thoughts away. He had to focus on the rally and work his silver tongue on all the pups and kittens out there. If Kitty Cat showed up, Little Red wouldn't be too far behind. And then… he'd know, one way or the other. And if he was wrong… well, Plan A still sounded fun.

Plus… he  _really_  wanted to see what that Paladin could do. A mech that size, with all those guns… oh, just the thought of running wild with that thing got his blood pumping!

Roman let out a chuckle. From the corner of his eye, he saw a Faunus with a full-face mask step out of the curtain to address the crowd.

 _Well, that's my cue_. He took his place at the curtain's opening, seeing Neo materialize next to the Paladin. He flashed her a cocky grin, earning a roll of mismatched eyes.

 _The night's still young,_  he thought, still smiling.  _Who knows? Maybe I'll get to have some real fun yet._


	8. Bot Fight! - Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betaed by Ril_Locke [(Covert Weapon)](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/926755/Covert-Weapon)
> 
> [LiLaL'S TV Tropes Page](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/LinkedInLifeAndLove)
> 
> [Cross-posted on FF.net](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11689623/31/Linked-in-Life-and-Love)

**White Fang Rally**

Blake had felt her scroll buzz against her leg earlier, but didn't have the will to check it. All she could do was stare in shock, amber eyes wide behind her borrowed mask.

Roman Torchwick. Here, at a White Fang rally, of all places.

She knew there was some connection between the career criminal and the White Fang, but this… this was unbelievable. Roman Torchwick, a  _human_ , center stage in front of nearly a hundred Faunus, by all appearances running the rally himself. Speaking about how he wasn't any different than them, having to put up with the same abuse that the Faunus people did.

_And they were buying it._

"Is this guy for real?" Sun whispered next to her, low enough that no one around them would hear.

Blake could only shake her head in disbelief. This… this was worse than anything she'd thought of. All these people, most of them her own age, were hanging onto Torchwick's every word. Worse, when he mentioned fighting against the government, purposefully hurting humans, they  _cheered_.

 _Adam…_  she thought, her heart breaking as she watched all of her father's work circle the drain.  _What have you done?_

Just when she thought it couldn't get worse, Torchwick cut off his own speech with a snap of his fingers. The curtain behind him dropped to the ground.

"That… is a big robot," Sun stated dumbly, a hint of fear in his voice.

Blake couldn't blame him. She'd seen pictures of the Atlas Paladin before, mostly on news sites she'd read when keeping tabs on the SDC and Atlas in general. The White Fang getting their hands on one would be bad enough, but this…

At one point it had been a gleaming example of Atlas' military strength, a brand new prototype so shiny you could see yourself in it. Now, the Paladin was something straight out of a nightmare. Solid plates of steel covered every gap in the original design, giving off the look of a tank turret with legs. There were obvious welding marks across the new armor, but they were buried under the war machine's new paint job: solid black highlighted with red and orange, with Adam's White Fang symbol painted proudly on its shoulder.

The crowd cheered at the sight of it, and Blake felt sick. Before she could even fully process everything, Torchwick started talking again.

"Now, I'm sure you've all at least heard about Atlas building a line of my new friend here." He banged the side of his cane off the Paladin's leg for emphasis, sending a deep, dull echo throughout the warehouse. "Well, thanks to my, um, 'employer', I was able to nab a few of these before they hit the shelves. You heard that right! The White Fang gets to use these bad boys before the Atlassian military does."

"Now, as you may have noticed, this big guy is not exactly 'factory standard.' This is my personal unit, which the White Fang so graciously helped me to enhance. As for the others, I've already sent them down to help your brothers and sisters at our new operation in the southeast. If you want to toil away here in the city, that's fine. But if you're truly ready to fight for what you believe in, this is the arsenal I can provide you." He flashed a smug smile. "Any questions?"

Blake's cat ears folded down against the roaring applause that answered Torchwick.

_This… this is worse than I thought. Adam isn't just turning the White Fang into terrorists. He's making them into an army._

Blake couldn't take it anymore. She turned to Sun, finding him already staring at her behind his mask.

"We should get out of here," she said, unable to hide the tremor in her voice. Sun just nodded, holding onto her arm as he took a step back.

Suddenly, a voice sounded from the stage, coming from the full-masked Faunus beside Torchwick. "Will all new recruits, please come forward!"

Blake and Sun were suddenly pushed forward by the mass of people behind them. Unable to fight against the wave of excited Faunus, they had no choice but to move with the crowd towards the stage, where a pair of White Fang members had opened a box full of full-faced masks.

"What are we going to do?!" Sun hissed to Blake, panic edging into his voice.

Blake's eyes darted all around the warehouse, trying to find something, anything that would aid their escape. With so many White Fang surrounding them, simply running wouldn't work. They needed a distraction. Her eyes trailed over the warehouse walls, at the cracked cement, windows brittle with age. There was an old junction box on the wall, likely powering the lights. Maybe…

"Aw, crap."

Blake felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up, Sun's quiet curse alerting her to the all-too-familiar sense that she was being watched. With dread, she followed Sun's gaze, back towards the stage.

Her heart stopped.

Roman Torchwick was staring right at her. And he was smiling.

* * *

_Well, that couldn't have gone better if I'd tried._

Roman smirked to himself as nearly every Faunus in the room rushed the stage, each one still hooting and hollering in excitement. He even heard a few of them chanting his name. That was new. Yes, Cinder would be pleased. Hell, maybe the old matchstick would actually crack a smile for once.

Still, he couldn't help the disappointment lingering at the back of his mind. No sign of his elusive black cat. He'd tried to scan the entire crowd during his speech, but no luck. Either Kitty Cat hadn't showed, or she'd slipped in and out without him noticing.

 _Plan B it is, then,_  he thought begrudgingly.  _Though, how the hell I'm going to get into Beacon without Ozzy or Cinder noticing, I have no idea. Hmm… maybe I could get Neo to lure Little Red off campus? Longshot, but if I plan it right… if I'm right about this, maybe Neo snags her cape? Yeah… that could-_

_Bzzt._

Roman was broken from his musings by the buzzing of his scroll. Neo had messaged him.

**N- Black cat at 10**

Roman arched an eyebrow, his head snapping to the left. His eyes trailed ver the Faunus youths, looking for…

A wide grin spread across his face. Right there, near the back, was that same pair of cat ears he'd been waiting for, perched atop a head of long black hair. The outfit was new, but there was no mistake: Blake Belladonna, in the flesh. And as a bonus, Monkey Boy was with her! Even better!

Roman held back a chuckle as he watched the two draw closer, seeing the panic they were both in. They weren't getting a choice in coming towards him. They'd been swept up in the crowd, pushed forward by the excited wave of Faunus he'd smooth-talked.

Now, there were two ways he could go about his plan. One, simply talk to the Cat. Not as exciting as the other option, but it might be worth it just to see the look on her face. Or, two: wait for Kitty Cat to make the first move. Depending on how violent said move may be, he'd get the opportunity to get the answers he wanted, and to give his new toy a test run.

His choice was made for him when Monkey Boy suddenly looked up at the stage, and he could feel their gazes lock even through the boy's mask. Seconds later, Kitty Cat did the same. Roman was half tempted to give a little wave to them both, just to see their reaction.

_Okay, your move, kiddies. Watcha gonna do no-_

In a flash, the Cat pulled out her weapon, and Roman found himself staring down the barrel of a pistol. He instinctively lifted his cane when he heard the gunfire, ready to block the shot, only to hear the bullet whiz past his head.

The warehouse went dark.

Faunus screamed in shock at the sound of the gun going off, but Roman was too busy being blind to care. Unlike everyone else in the building, he was just a 'lowly human', as Bull Boy had called him once, and had none of the fabled night vision every Faunus so helpfully just  _had_. He fumbled with his scroll, trying to bring up the flashlight feature in it, when he heard a voice sound over the panicky crowd.

"Sun, the window!"

Immediately after, he heard a window shatter to his right.

"Oh, no you don't!" he yelled out, stumbling back to where he knew the Paladin stood. He found it, banging his head off on one of its arms, before fumbling over the mech's surface in search of the cockpit door. Once his hand grasped around the handle, he pulled it open, being blinded by the red light spilling out.

He blinked away the stars in his eyes, pulling himself into the mech's seat. He hit a few keys on the console beside him, and the Paladin shuddered to life. The cockpit door lowered shut, and a screen lit up in front of him, showing him what the Paladin saw. A flick of a switch, and the video switched to night vision, showing him a crowd of confused, panicked Faunus, several White Fang soldiers storming the warehouse floor, Neo smirking down at him from up in the rafters…

And one completely broken window on the far wall.

A manic grin spread over Roman's face. He didn't even hesitate, just grasping the Paladin's controls and pushing them forward. Fifty tons of mech shot across the stage, slamming into the warehouse wall, blasting through it like tissue paper. In the distance, he could see Monkey Boy and Kitty Cat running towards the highway.

Roman pushed the Paladin forward, hitting a few buttons to prime the mech's main weapons. His eyes briefly darted to his left, where a second console had been haphazardly installed, exposed wires dangling out the bottom. He was tempted to hit a few of those buttons as well, but held off. There'd be time to put Neo's hard work to good use soon enough.

_Okay, Kitty Cat. Run back home. Lead me to Little Red._

* * *

**Junior's Nightclub**

Yang's glass shattered in her fist.

Neptune jumped at the sudden sound, nearly spilling his cola. "Geez! What was that for?" he asked in surprise, desperately ignoring the threatening glare Junior was now shooting them. When he saw the look on her face, his expression turned worried. "Yang?"

Yang just stared down at the shattered glass in front of her, her breath becoming choppy. "Something… something's wrong."

She just couldn't catch a break. First Ruby starts freaking out over something, then Weiss just up and disappears for a few seconds, then they both start freaking out, and just when they start calming down, something happened that scared Blake stiff. Freaking out didn't even come close to what Blake was feeling at that moment.

And what was Yang doing?

Sitting at a bar.

Screw. That.

Yang jumped out of her seat, startling Neptune so much that he did drop his drink this time. Yang didn't notice, grabbing him by the arm and yanking him out of his seat.

"C'mon!" she yelled before he could protest, dragging him towards the door. "Something's wrong with Blake. We need to get over there,  _now!_ "

Neptune blinked, his eyes growing wide. "What-"

Whatever he was going to ask was cut off when the whole building shook. A loud bang sounded from outside the nightclub, causing the patrons inside to flinch in surprise. Yang and Neptune froze. They shared a look, before rushing to the door. They ran down the hall, passed the bewildered bouncer at the entrance, bursting out into the street. The few people outside were facing towards where the sound had come from.

"What was that?" Neptune asked, not really expecting an answer.

Yang's scroll suddenly came to life, buzzing with a new call. Yang didn't waste any time, practically ripping it open. Before she could even start to answer, Blake's voice sounded from the scroll.

" _Everyone! If you can hear me, we need-!"_

" _HEEEELLLLP!"_

Sun's sudden scream made them both flinch. Yang ran to her motorcycle, it roaring to life the moment she sat down. "Get on!" she yelled to Neptune.

He did so, his fear of the thing being overridden by his fear for his friends. "Do we even know where they-"

"...aaaaaaAAAAHHH!"

Yang and Neptune snapped their heads around at the nearing scream. Just down the street, Blake and Sun ran through an intersection, followed seconds later by what could only be described as a giant robot.

"...never mind," Neptune squeaked out, face paling at the size of the mech.

Yang's eyes narrowed. "Hang on!" she yelled out, hitting the throttle.

Neptune barely had time to wrap his arms around Yang's middle, nearly being thrown off as the bike squealed into a one-eighty. Within seconds, they'd screamed around the corner, Yang pushing the motorcycle hard to catch up with the mech.

"Blake, we're right behind you!" Yang yelled into her scroll. "Just try to stay ahead of it!"

* * *

 _Would if I could!_ Blake thought desperately, not bothering to say it out loud. Her feet pounded against the pavement as she ran, the sound of the mech's wheels getting closer.

Sun had commandeered her scroll, yelling panicked gibberish into it as they ran. The fact that Yang was so close gave her some comfort, but it paled to the fear she had of the mechanical monster bearing down on them. They needed to come up with something  _fast_ , before Torchwick caught up to them.

Blake could already feel her body wearing out, being fueled by fear and adrenaline. Her lungs burned, her heart hammered painfully in her chest.

Her legs were starting to tingle.

They ran around a corner, putting them right next to the freeway. Cars honked at them, only to swerve out of the way once people noticed the Paladin hot on their heels. Blake desperately tried to think of a plan, but she couldn't.

Then, as they neared an on-ramp, Sun yelled out beside her. "Hey! I have an idea!" She glanced back, seeing him pointing towards the on-ramp.

Blake understood what he was getting at. Normally, she'd call him crazy, but when she heard the Paladin's wheels just a few feet behind her, she didn't hesitate. With Sun at her side, she took a large leap to the left, her feet landing on the roof of a car.

* * *

**Freeway**

As their cab drove down the elevated freeway, Ruby and Penny huddled over Weiss' scroll, the heiress sandwiched between them. They all had looks of disbelief as Sun's voice screamed out from the scroll.

" _Robot! Big robot! Very big! Help!"_

Weiss stared at her scroll in complete bafflement. Blake and Sun were spying on a White Fang rally. How did a giant robot figure into that?

Penny apparently had the same thought, her green eyes wide. Ruby and Weiss had filled her in on their team's information gathering, and she'd agreed to help them if she could. She had been hesitant at the thought of keeping it a secret from the General, but had agreed nonetheless, at least for the time being. "The White Fang hasn't been reported to have weapons of that scale."

Ruby was conflicted. Part of her was excited at the thought of seeing a weapon of that size in action, but it was being drowned out by her feeling Blake's fear and Yang's panic. "Sun, where are you?"

"We're-"

"Holy-!" The cab suddenly swerved out of its lane, the driver cursing as he pulled hard on the wheel. The three girls in the back seat were thrown to the left side of the cab as it spun, Weiss landing on top of Penny as Ruby landed on top of her. The cab jerked onto the shoulder, slamming against the bridge barricade, before squealing to a stop.

Pushing a dazed Ruby off of her, Weiss sat up, glaring daggers at the cabbie. "What on Remnant-" Her indignant words cut off when she saw the man gaping out his windshield, gripping the steering wheel in a knuckle-whitening grip. She followed his gaze…

Her blue eyes widened in shock. "Oh, Dust…"

Theirs was not the only car that had pulled over. Nearly every other motorist had pulled over to the shoulder, and the few that hadn't were quickly accelerating away in the far right lane, as far away from the opposite road as they could get. Further up the road, a pickup truck lay upside down, smoke pouring from its engine block as its panicked driver scrambled away from it. Weiss briefly wondered how it got there, when a minivan suddenly sailed over the median, crashing near their cab. Weiss followed its path, and immediately stiffened.

On the opposite road, Blake and Sun were leaping from car roof to car roof, trying to put as much distance between them and the monster of a mech bearing down on them as they could. Within seconds, it had closed the distance between it and Blake's current platform. The giant machine drew back its left arm, and swatted at the car. For a heart-stopping moment, Weiss thought Blake was done for. Beside her, Ruby let out a panicked, "Blake!"

To their relief, Blake jumped at the last possible second, landing on the same car Sun was on as the mech sent the car flying across the road, the young woman behind the wheel screaming in terror.

As the mech charged past them, Weiss heard the buzzing sound of a high-performance engine. A flash of yellow and blue zipped by, Yang's motorcycle roaring as she and Neptune tried to keep up with the speeding mech.

Weiss spared their terrified cabbie a glance, before scrambling out of the cab, Ruby and Penny right behind her. Weiss watched in dismay as the mech sped off into the distance, smashing aside cars as it flailed at Blake and Sun. "We need to catch up to them," she said, a hint of desperation in her voice as she watched another car go airborne.

Ruby watched the car soar across the median, torn between her amazement a the hulking machine and the fear of her sister and her girlfriend being attacked by it. When she registered Weiss' words, however, she grinned widely. "I have an idea!"

Weiss had all of a second to wonder what Ruby's idea was before she was suddenly swept off her feet, Ruby having slipped an arm under her knees and the other behind her back. Weiss pinked a little at finding herself held in Ruby's surprisingly strong grip, her indignant retort cut off when Ruby turned to their new companion. "Penny, do you think you can catch up with them somehow?" Weiss could feel her worry and guilt, likely at the thought of having to abandon Penny on the freeway after just having reunited with her.

To both of their surprise, Penny just smiled, her eyes flashing with determination. "Indeed I do!"

There was a sharp sound of metal scraping on metal, and a number of silver and green swords slid out of Penny's back and hovered in the air behind her, each one unfolding from a rectangle of metal into a four-foot blade. Ruby gaped at the sight, while Weiss blinked rapidly. Before either could respond, two of the swords met in mid-air, crossing blades across Penny's back. There was a strange clicking sound as the blades seemed to split apart in places, then merged together into a single piece. There was an echoing clang as the merged swords slammed into Penny's back, the hilt of each blade turning and folding, until one side was pointed and the other was flat. The overall effect made it look like Penny had grown mechanical wings.

Just when Weiss was able to string together a coherent thought, she heard a high-pitched noise, the tips of Penny's 'wings' glowing green. A jet of green fire shot out the underside of each wingtip, and Penny was lifted into the air, hovering a few feet off the ground as her remaining swords circled her like a bladed halo.

As the partners stared up at her in shock, Penny sent them a determined smile. "Let's go assist our friends!" Shifting her weight, Penny angled herself forward, green fire roaring as she blasted off in the direction of the mech.

Weiss and Ruby stared after her, eyes wide and mouths agape.

"...Ruby?" Weiss asked faintly.

"...yeah, Weiss?" Ruby answered, silver eyes trained on the green dot that was the flying Penny.

"Did Penny just… grow a  _jetpack_?"

Ruby gave a tiny nod. "Yes. Yes, she did." Her shocked expression slowly morphed into an almost manic grin. "That… is… AWESOME! How did she do that? How did she merge her swords like that? How does she make them hover? How does she fit all those swords inside herself? How-?"

"Ruby…" Weiss scolded in an annoyed tone. While she did find Ruby's enthusiastic gushing rather cute, and it did help pull her out of her shocked stupor at… whatever the  _hell_  she just witnessed, they had more important things to deal with. Once Ruby's eyes met her own, she bobbed her head towards the distant sounds of destruction and mayhem. "The giant robot?"

Ruby blinked at her, then jolted at the reminder. "Right! Sorry." Ruby bent her knees, and Weiss had to throw her arms around Ruby's neck so as not to fall out of her grip. Ruby gave her a brief smile when she did, before focusing on the road in front of them. "Hold on tight," she told Weiss, increasing her own grip on the heiress. When she felt Weiss' arms tighten, she moved.

The world turned red around them, and Weiss was vaguely aware that the tingling sensation playing over her skin as Ruby's semblance took hold felt… familiar.

Within seconds, a red blur jumped the median, and blasted down the freeway towards the ever-increasing carnage.

* * *

"So, do we actually have a plan here?"

Yang ignored Neptune's yell for the moment, too busy pushing her motorcycle to its limit. How was that mech so  _fast_? The thing was massive, but it was somehow staying at high speed, swatting at every car in its path.

Yang scoured the mech with her eyes, trying to find something, anything about it she could use to her advantage. It wasn't easy, as every few seconds, she had to swerve hard to the side out of the way of whatever vehicle the mech had smashed aside and not sent over the median.

 _C'mon,_  she thought to herself as they barely missed a spinning truck.  _Give me something, anything! A crack, a dent, loose wires, just… wait. Maybe… there!_

Yang's eyes zeroed in on a line of small loops along the mech's back, almost invisible against its black paint. Some kind of handholds, for maintenance, maybe? She didn't really care, so long as they were there. If one of them could actually get onto the thing…

"Neptune!" She yelled out.

"What?"

"When I get closer to it, try to climb on."

There was a pause, followed by a panicked, "That's the plan?!"

Yang shot a glare over her shoulder, making him flinch slightly. "It's either that, or I ram it!" She'd do it, too. She doubted it would do much, that armor looked thick, but if she could get one good punch to one of its legs, maybe she could slow it down.

Neptune swallowed, the glare making him wonder which was safer: climbing a thirty-foot death machine, or keep clinging to a stressed and quickly angering Yang.

"Go for it!" he yelled.

_Sun, you owe me big time for this!_

Yang just nodded. She faced forward, hitting the throttle hard. The bike lurched in a sudden burst of speed, quickly gaining ground on the mech.

* * *

Inside the Paladin, Roman was having a blast, his lips pulled back in a feral grin.

It was better than he'd hoped. Thanks to all the extra bells and whistles he'd had slapped onto it, the mech was bigger, stronger, and a hell of a lot faster than he'd thought. He'd reached freeway speeds in seconds, and the mech's upper body moved so much more fluidly than it had in his brief test run earlier. With the controls in hand, all he had to do was flick his wrist and,  _boom!,_  another car went flying.

He did vaguely wonder if he was actually killing anyone with all the vehicular mayhem he was causing. None of the cars had exploded (at least, he hadn't  _seen_  any of them explode), but still, getting hit with a five-ton robo arm… eh, he'd find out when he watched the news later.

He was getting a bit frustrated with just how  _nimble_  Kitty Cat and Monkey Boy were. Dodging his strikes, managing to land on a new car every,  _freaking, time._  It was impressive. Completely annoying, but impressive. At this rate, he'd have to start putting the Paladin's firearms to the test. He had been wondering just how effective those missiles were.

A red blinking light on the display panel drew his attention. Along the side of the screen, a small box had popped up, bright red text spelling out  _ **Proximity Alert**_. Another screen popped up below it, showing video from a camera on the back of the mech.

The Paladin's wild flailing ceased for a moment as he stared at the blonde girl driving a motorcycle right up behind the mech, a blue-haired boy reaching out to grab onto it. His eyes narrowed in recognition, remembering the information Neo had stolen for him.

 _Yang Xiao-Long._  He frowned briefly at the name, but ignored it.  _Time for that later… maybe. Though, that face… there's definitely a resemblance._ He shook his head to clear it. He smiled smugly.  _Okay, Sunshine. Let's see how tough you are._

He jerked hard on the controls.

* * *

"Just a little closer!" Neptune yelled to Yang, his fingers just grazing the handholds.

Yang let out a groan of frustration, hitting the throttle again.

Neptune stretched his arm out as far as he could. With a groan of effort, he pushed forward.

"Got it!" he yelled in triumph, wrapping his hand around the ladder rung. He managed to grab with his other hand, and started to pull himself off the bike-

" _I don't think so!"_

Yang didn't even have time to question where the loud voice came from before she had to veer sharply to the right as the entire mech did a full one-eighty. Neptune screamed as he was ripped off the bike, hanging off the back of the mech by his fingertips.

Yang had no chance. Her every instinct told her to move, but there was nowhere to go, trapped on her bike between the freeway guardrail and the massive robot. She threw her arm up uselessly, blocking as much as she could as the mech's massive arm came towards her.

_**THA-WRASH!** _

"AUGH!"

Pain filled her body as she was smacked right off her bike, the motorcycle itself tumbling through the air beside her. She forced her eyes open, cold realization hitting her when she saw, not the freeway pavement, but the distant city streets below her. The mech had sent her flying right off the road, out into the open air.

She could feel Panic, Fear, Denial, Hopelessness, all tinged with frost and shadow and an electric tingle. She thought she heard Blake call her name, her voice louder and more panicky than she'd ever heard, but she wasn't sure. She could feel them, her Mates, her sister, each desperate to help her, each terrified that they couldn't.

 _Stop panicking!_  she thought, both at them and to herself as she felt gravity take hold.  _I'm tough! I can survive a fall like this!_

She eyed the streets several stories below.

_...right?_

Suddenly, Yang felt something slam into her from behind. Her fall came to an abrupt stop, her sides protesting as something wrapped around her underarms painfully tight. She clenched her eyes in pain, as a high pitch whine filled the air around her.

"Are you uninjured, Yang?"

Yang's eyes snapped open at the voice behind her. She twisted her head around to meet green eyes.

"Penny?!"

Sure enough, the odd, orange-haired girl was holding Yang up by the armpits, obviously having caught her in midair. She gave Yang a concerned look as she hovered above the city streets.

Wait…

"Y-you…! You can fly?!" Yang stuttered out in shock. "How are you- do you have wings?!"

"Um…" Penny ducked her head awkwardly, looking uncertain. "It's… a long story. Are you okay?"

The subject change was obvious, but Yang ignored it for the moment, looking down at herself as she wiggled slightly in Penny's grip. "Uh… I think so! Nothing feels broken."

Penny frowned. "Are you certain? Your eyes seem very red compared to our last encounter."

Yang blinked at that. Her eyes were red? But…

...oh, now she felt it. The tingling feeling behind her eyes, the way her whole body seemed to burn with newfound energy. Her Semblance must have activated on instinct, all the power behind the mech's blow having been absorbed into herself. She was practically shaking as the stolen energy bounced around inside her, seeking an outlet.

Yang looked back at the freeway. The mech had already spun itself back around and was tearing off down the road after Blake and Sun, who had managed to gain some ground thanks to her impromptu distraction. Neptune, somehow, was still clinging to the back of the mech, trying to climb up its back. A red blur shot down the road behind it, quickly catching up to the metal monstrosity. Already, they were all moving down the freeway, away from where Yang and Penny hovered.

Through the Link, Yang felt overwhelming relief from Ruby and Weiss.  _They must have seen Penny catch me,_  she thought to herself.

As she watched the bizarre entourage race off into the distance, Yang thought hard. She had questions,  _so_  many questions, mostly about the girl holding her while they freaking  _hovered_  five stories up, but she pushed them all aside. She hadn't felt any relief from Blake, meaning that the cat Faunus probably hadn't seen her get saved, plus she still had a few tons of angry robot chasing her. They needed to end this, now.

And the fire burning in her muscles gave her a great idea on how to do it.

"Penny?" Yang asked, a smirk growing on her face.

"Yes, Yang?" Penny responded, still waiting on her for an answer to her earlier question.

"How fast can you fly?"

* * *

 _Well, that didn't take long,_  Roman thought to himself as he watched the blonde girl go flying off the freeway.  _Bummer. Well, I doubt it'll kill her, especially if I'm right about… yeah, she'll be a pain in my neck later._  He shrugged to himself, focusing at the task at hand, namely,  _smashing those hopscotching little ingrates!_

Roman let out a growl of frustration as he saw how much distance the two Faunus had made while he'd taken a swing at the blonde. He jammed the controls forward, the mech lurching back up to top speed. To his utter irritation, he was making very little ground. Apparently, whoever was behind the wheel of Kitty Cat and Monkey Boy's current ride decided that having a multi-ton Paladin on their back bumper was reason enough to throw traffic laws out the window.

Roman fumed for a moment, before smirking. Reaching over to the console on his right, he flipped a set of switches. The mech gave a small shudder, the sound of metal against metal filling the air as a digital reticle appeared onscreen. He tapped his pointer finger over the screen in front of him, and the reticle box moved over Kitty Cat's car. Two red lines formed an 'X' right over her back.

 _Time to see what these things can do._  Roman placed his thumb over a small red button on his controls, as bold red text formed under the reticle.

_**MISSILE LOCKED.** _

His smirk turned into a manic smile as he pressed-

" _Neptune, jump!"_

Roman jolted, the loud voice blasting out of the internal speaker at the same time another proximity alert popped up on screen. His eyes snapped to it, this one showing the view from the left-side camera.

" _Heads up, buckethead!"_

_...What._

For the briefest moment, Roman thought he'd lost his mind. There was Sunshine, her lips spread into a wide grin as she was held in the arms of, of all people,  _Laser Lass_ , flying towards him at high speed.

However, it wasn't the impossibility of them both flying at him that made his eyes widen. No, it was the blonde's eyes that did that.

Her bright, angry,  _painfully_ familiar  _red eyes._

The next second, Laser Lass let go of her passenger, and the blonde was sent hurtling straight at the mech, fists out, hair glowing, red eyes burning. It was then that Roman fully remembered what he'd read about her in those Beacon records.

_This is gonna hurt._

If he hadn't seen the girl's divebomb himself, Roman would have thought he'd been hit by a tank. The entire mech jolted to the side, the left side wheels coming off the ground. A half-dozen warnings popped up on screen, not that Roman could read them as he was thrown against the wall of the cockpit.

The mech shook, metal groaned. He heard the sound of concrete breaking, and there was a sickening moment of weightlessness, followed seconds later by a stop so violent and sudden that the cockpit went dark.

Roman blinked the stars out of his vision, holding a hand to his aching head. One by one, the lights in the cockpit came back to life. Roman groaned as the screen flickered back on, seeing the brats leap down from the broken freeway guardrail, jumping onto inexplicably appearing snowflakes. He took hold of the mech's controls, making it climb back to its wheeled feet as he looked around. The Paladin had fallen into a construction yard underneath the freeway, where one road passed over the other, support pillars surrounding the area.

Big open space. Nowhere to hide. Nowhere to really run.

Roman watched as the kids reached the ground. The last to do so was the Schnee brat… and Little Red herself.

_Perfect._

Roman pulled hard on the controls, spinning the Paladin to face the seven would-be heroes. Grinning ferociously, he reached over to the left, his hand slamming down on the custom console.

There was a groan of metal. On the screen, seven reticles popped into existence, each one targeting a different brat. Seven red text messages popped up.

**MISSILE LOCKED.**

_Okay, kiddos. Let's see what you got._

Roman hit the red button.


	9. Bot Fight! - Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betaed by Ril_Locke [(Covert Weapon)](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/926755/Covert-Weapon)
> 
> [LiLaL'S TV Tropes Page](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/LinkedInLifeAndLove)
> 
> [Cross-posted on FF.net](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11689623/32/Linked-in-Life-and-Love)

 

**Elevated Freeway, Moments Ago**

Blake's mouth fell open as she watched Yang slam into the side of the Paladin, her glowing hair trailing behind her like a comet's tail. The moment her fist touched the side of the mech, the entire thing tilted, its left legs being forced into the air. The Paladin wobbled, veering across the road and into the guardrail. Its right legs tore through the concrete, destroying thirty feet of guardrail, before slipping off the edge of the freeway. The mech's weight shifted instantly, forty tons of metal tumbling off the road. A colossal impact sounded from the ground below.

A green flash drew Blake's attention from the falling Paladin. Neptune, who had leapt off the mech's back a mere second before Yang's impact, was snatched out of the air by, if she wasn't mistaken, their missing friend Penny, who was flying with the aid of what appeared to be metal wings. Blake only focused on this for a second, before she caught sight of a flash of yellow below them.

Her heart stopped.

Yang, her hair no longer glowing, was lying face down on the ground, unmoving.

"Yang!" Blake yelled, leaping off the speeding car she'd been standing on. From the corner of her eye, she saw Sun do the same, the two rolling as they landed. Blake sprang to her feet, running down the empty road to Yang's side, Sun hanging back when she came to a stop. She fell to her knees, placing her hand on Yang's shoulder. "Yang?"

To her relief, Yang groaned. The blonde pushed off the ground with her left arm, rolling over onto her back. "Ow…" she droned. Her eyes blinked open, blearily focusing on Blake's amber gaze. "Did I get him?"

Blake let out a breathless laugh, a disbelieving smile on her lips. "Yeah. Yeah, you got him."

Yang gave a tired smile. She gave her arm a weak pump. "Whoo. Go me." She grunted as she pulled herself up to sit, rubbing the back of her head. "Geez, that thing was harder than I thought."

"Yang!" They both looked over, seeing a red blur racing towards them. It came to a sudden stop before them, kicking up a blast of air that made their hair flutter. The blur dissolved into a shower of rose petals, revealing Ruby, holding Weiss carefully in her arms as the heiress clung to her neck.

As the rose petals fell around them, Ruby sat Weiss down, the two rushing to Yang's side.

"Are you okay?" Weiss asked, worry plain in her voice as she knelt beside the blonde.

Yang just shot her a cocky grin. "What, you worried about me?"

Weiss wasn't amused, giving Yang a hard smack on the arm as she frowned. "Yes! Yang, that mech knocked you clear off the highway. I don't even know how you're still in one piece."

Yang flinched a little, feeling a sudden burst of anger from Weiss, buried under fear and worry. "Hey, relax Snowflake," she said, her voice surprisingly gentle. "You know me. It'll take more than a little smack to take me down."

"That 'little smack' totaled about a dozen cars before it hit you," Blake said with a frown. "You really scared us, Yang."

Yang wilted under the double glare. She looked over at Ruby, who met her gaze with a small frown and a nod. Yang let out a sigh. "I'm sorry I worried you. But, y'know, there wasn't much I could do about it. I was kinda between a rock and a hard place." She smiled slightly when she saw Weiss roll her eyes, the corner of Blake's lips twitching. A high-pitch whine sounded above them, making her look up as her smile grew. "Besides, apparently I have a pretty kickass guardian angel."

The others followed her gaze, watching as Penny descended next to their group. She hovered for a moment, letting a slightly freaked-out Neptune touch the ground first before landing herself, her swords floating around her. The jets of green fire spouting from her wingtips cut off abruptly. She eyed the group nervously, her hands folded in front of her.

"Salutations, everyone," she greeted, a hesitant smile on her lips as she gave a quick wave to the group.

Blake smiled at her. She had more than a few questions as to how Penny had come to be here, and how she'd gained mechanical wings, but she pushed them aside. Penny had saved her Mate from, at the very least, an extremely painful fall. Questions could wait for later.

"Hello, Penny," she said calmly. "Didn't expect to see you here, not that I'm complaining."

Penny's grin widened slightly as Ruby explained. "We bumped into her at the CCT. Long story short, we told her about the plan and she wanted to help."

Yang chuckled as she rose to her feet, Blake and Weiss rising with her. "Well, I'm not complaining. Thanks for the save." She hit Penny with one of her usual shoulder punches… and pulled her arm back quickly when she felt a stinging pain in her knuckles. "Youch! Geez, Pen, that hurt! What, are you made of pure metal?"

Penny ducked her head down a bit, looking abashed. "Mostly," she admitted quietly.

Yang blinked, her head tilting slightly. "Wait, what?"

Before Penny could answer, Weiss held up a hand, looking exasperated. " _Very_  long story. We'll explain later. First," she pushed a finger against Yang's chest, a disapproving look on her face, despite the surprise and awe that her Mate's felt from her. "How did you do that? You knocked aside a multi-ton mech with one punch. I know you're strong, Yang, but I've never seen you use that much strength."

Yang frowned at her, before her eyes lit up in realization. "Right, I never really told you guys about my Semblance, did I?" That startled Weiss a bit, her head jerking back a bit. Blake looked to Yang expectantly, curious.

Yang rubbed the back of her head, feeling a little sheepish. "Sorry. I haven't had to use it in a while, and it hasn't come up in class yet. Short version is, anytime I take a physical blow, I can take the force of that hit and use it myself."

Weiss' brow furrowed thoughtfully. "So, when the mech hit you…"

Yang smiled, some pride trickling into her words. "Yep. Hit it with its own power. That's how my Semblance works. The harder I get hit, the harder I can hit back."

Weiss nodded slowly. She shot Blake a quick look, which the Faunus returned.  _We'll have to ask more later._  Weiss thought to herself.  _First though…_

Sun physically flinched when Weiss gave him a piercing look, nearly bumping into Neptune. Weiss then turned to Blake, her gaze softening in concern. "How did your night end with you two being chased by a giant robot?"

Blake went to answer, but Sun abruptly cut in, putting himself between Blake and Weiss. "Funny story, but first…" he turned to Penny, flashing a friendly smile as he stuck out his hand. "I don't think we've formally met. Sun Wukong, at your service. The lost-looking blue-haired guy is my partner Neptune."

"Hey!"

Penny blinked at the surprise introduction, before smiling widely. She grabbed his hand in her own, shaking it firmly. "Greetings! I'm Penny Polendina, a friend of Team RWBY's. Nice to meet you."

Sun winced a bit at the shockingly tight grip, but nodded all the same. "Likewise." He let go of Penny's hand, turning back to Weiss, who looked slightly miffed. "To answer your question, Torchwick was at the rally."

Everyone other than Blake jolted in surprise. "What?!" Ruby shouted, echoed by Yang and Weiss.

Blake nodded, looking disturbed. "He was the one running the rally. He gave this big speech, got everyone on his side, and then showed off that mech."

"Turns out," Sun chimed in, "he stole a whole bunch of mechs just like that one from the Atlassian military."

Penny's eyes widened in shock, and Weiss looked up at the sky in disbelief. "Dear Dust," she muttered, not even wanting to think of the implications of the White Fang having more of those monstrosities. She looked back to Blake, shaking her head in disbelief. "How did you end up getting chased by it?"

Sun answered. "Torchwick recognized us in the crowd. Blake killed the lights in the place and we booked. Next thing we know, that thing's busting down a wall to chase after us. Guess Torchwick wanted to catch us himself."

"Whoa, wait a sec," Yang jumped in, shooting a look at the wrecked guardrail before turning back to Sun. "Himself? Is… are you saying Torchwick is inside that thing?"

Sun nodded. "He said it was his personal mech. And I'm pretty sure that was his voice that spoke when you got hit."

Yang's brow raised in surprise. Then she smiled widely. "That's perfect!"

Everyone looked at her with varying degrees of confusion. "What is?" Ruby asked.

Yang turned to her, an excited gleam in her eyes. "The whole point of this was to find out what Torchwick had to do with the White Fang. Well, let's go down there, pull him out of that thing, and find out what's what right from the source!"

Ruby's eyes widened, as did Blake's. "Do you think he'd even tell us anything?"

Yang's smile shifted to a smirk. "I don't really plan on giving him a choice." She punched a fist into her palm for emphasis. Ember Celica clicked as a round entered its chamber.

Weiss opened her mouth to speak, when they all heard a metallic groan from under the freeway. The group jumped at the sudden sound, Weiss and Blake gripping the hilts of their blades, Neptune reaching behind him for his trident. The seven Hunters-in-training rushed to the road's edge, staring down at the construction yard below.

"Oh, come on!" Yang groaned, looking equal parts annoyed and baffled. "What does it take to keep that thing down?"

Far beneath them, the Paladin was slowly pushing itself to its feet, leaning hard on its arms. Some of the added armor plating was scratched and dented, but still intact. The only real damage done to the mech was a fist-sized dent just behind the cockpit, just before the shoulder.

Penny frowned as she looked over the mech, her green eyes glowing a little as she analyzed it. "This Paladin has been heavily modified," she said simply. All eyes turned to her, but she didn't notice, all her attention on the mech. "Increased armor and speed, enhanced servo control, and multiple added firearms." She turned towards the group, focusing on Blake. "If the rest of the White Fang's Paladins have had similar alterations…"

She didn't have to finish. Each of them could picture what damage the White Fang could do with a fighting force like that, some more vividly than others. Blake swallowed down her nerves, trying to force away the image of dozens of Paladins, all sporting the symbol of the White Fang.

Ruby sent Blake a worried look, feeling her fear. Then she looked down at the mech, eyes narrowing. "Let's go ask him." She glanced at Weiss. "Think you can make us some platforms?"

Weiss nodded back to her, waving her arm as her fingers twitched. A pair of large glyphs appeared a few yards below them, spinning side by side. Another twitch of her fingers, and two more formed below the originals.

Yang smirked, her eyes locked on the raising Paladin. "Let's do this!" The next moment, she jumped off the freeway ledge, landing on the glyph below. Blake let out an exasperated breath at her partner's excitement, following the blonde as the corner of her lip twitched upwards.

Sun blinked as he watched them land, then leap to the next glyph. "Okay. Jumping onto giant, spinning snowflakes. I'll admit, I did not see that coming." He shot his partner a look. Neptune could only shrug his shoulders, apparently in agreement. The two boys leapt after Yang and Blake, who were looking up at them expectantly.

With a burst of green flame, Penny lifted off the road, opting to descend to the ground by her own means. Ruby and Weiss were the last to go, Weiss' fingers twitching to make more glyphs as they landed and leapt from the first ones. The group quickly descended, jumping from glyph to glyph as the Paladin rose to its full height.

They each took their spots in an impromptu battle line when they reached the ground. Neptune and Sun stood on the far right, while Yang and Blake took their spot on the left. Ruby and Weiss were between the four of them, while Penny hovered above and behind them.

Once Ruby and Weiss touched down, everyone dropped into their battle stances. Weiss and Blake drew their blades, Ruby unfolding Crescent Rose into her sniper rifle form. Sun and Neptune pulled out their weapons, Sun bouncing from foot to foot as he twirled Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang in their staff mode. Neptune opted to keep his weapon in gun mode, staring down its sights at the mech. Yang pumped her left arm, ensuring both gauntlets were ready to fire. Penny hovered at the back of the group, her many swords circling gracefully around her.

As the Paladin slowly spun to face them, Neptune gulped. "So, uh, it's still moving. Anyone have a plan?"

Ruby opened her mouth to answer, before a thought hit her. Her mouth snapped shut, and she glanced over at Sun. They were both team leaders, so she wasn't quite sure which of them was supposed to take charge.

Sun noticed her nervous look, an eyebrow-raising in confusion. Then his eyes widened in realization. To Ruby's surprise, he gave her a lopsided smile. "I appreciate the consideration, Ruby, but this is your party. Nep and I are just tagalongs. You say it, we'll do it." Beside him, Neptune nodded, his eyes never leaving the spinning mech.

Penny nodded as well, seemingly having a similar thought. "The same for me. Awaiting your orders, Ruby."

Ruby looked between them, stunned by their immediate acceptance of her as leader. A sudden burst of confidence and reassurance tickled at the back of her mind. She turned to her team, meeting Blake and Weiss' confident smiles, Yang backing hers up with a thumbs-up.

A warm feeling rose in Ruby's chest, her lips forming a thankful grin. Her smile was wiped away when the groan of protesting metal sounded from the Paladin, the large mech having faced them fully. Pushing down her worries, Ruby called out, eyes trained on the mech. "Neptune, quick. What's your skill set and weapon type?"

"Mid-range marksman, close range martial artist," he rattled off, sparing Ruby a glance. "Pulse rifle and bladed staff."

Ruby hummed briefly. "Okay, uh… Penny. Me and you will run interference, draw his attention away from the others. I'll hit him with sniper fire, you use your lasers."

The android nodded in acceptance. "Affirmative."

"Yang, Neptune. Circle around it and hammer its legs with weapons fire. When you see an opening, get up close and keep attacking. Go for its joints."

"Got it, Sis." "Yes, ma'am."

"Blake, Sun. When he's distracted, go high and try to get that cockpit open. Weiss, see if your glyphs can slow it down. If that doesn't work, join Blake and Sun. See if Myrtenaster can slip between its armor."

"Okay." "Sounds good." "I'll hold it as best I can."

Ruby felt her chest tremble, her heart hammering painfully against her ribs. She hoped her ideas were right, and she hadn't just gambled her friends, Mates, and sister's lives away by making a bad call. She tried to ignore it, taking comfort in the familiar weight of Crescent Rose in her arms.

"Okay, everyone," she said as she stared up at the mech, a hard glint in her eyes. "Follow the plan, but be ready to improvise. Watch each other's backs, give support to whoever needs it."

Weiss smirked slightly, looking at Ruby out of the corner of her eye. "I told you that studying would pay off."

Ruby just flashed her an appreciative grin. "Okay, on my mark, everyone-"

There was a sudden, sickening clang of metal striking metal, drawing everyone's attention. Just below the Paladin's cockpit, its 'chest' had split down the middle, the two halves slamming open against its sides. From within the dark confines of the mech's chest, they could all see the eight sharp points slowly slide out of the opening in two rows of four.

"What the hell…?" Sun muttered, squinting at the Paladin.

Then, with a thunderous roar, flames lit up the inside of the mech, showing a brief, clear image of what they were looking at: missiles. Lots and lots of missiles.

Ruby's eyes widened in fear and disbelief.

"Scatter!"

The moment the words left her mouth, the first two missiles went flying. Before they got very far, a large white glyph appeared before them. The missiles exploded against the glyph, which shattered against the force, Weiss letting out a grunt of pain as it did. Already, more missiles lit up, ready to fire.

The group did as Ruby said, while at the same time following her plan. Yang and Neptune broke from the line, flanking from their respective sides as they started firing, shotgun fire and electric pulses detonating against the Paladin's legs. Blake and Sun rushed forward, Sun even making a show of leaping over the new missile that launched from the mech. The two jumped in sync onto the mech's 'knees', and then to its 'shoulders', Blake slashing at its joints while Sun rammed his staff into the side of the cockpit.

As more missiles screamed towards them, Ruby lifted Weiss like she had before, blasting out of the way in a cloud of Semblance. Penny rocketed upwards, the missiles sailing harmlessly below her.

Ruby came to a sudden stop just to the left of the mech, setting Weiss down. The heiress wasted no time, throwing up her hands to form glyphs around the Paladin's wrists. Before she could, her eyes were drawn back to where they'd just run from. A yell tore from her throat.

"Penny, move!"

The android instantly spun in the air, her green eyes widening as she watched the two missiles that she'd avoided shoot straight up in the air, arching back towards the fight. One of them went low, aiming for Yang as she fired at the mech's back legs, while the other turned and headed right towards Penny. The android leaned hard, her jets firing as she shot upwards, the missile screaming after her.

Yang pulled her left arm back, ready to send another shotgun blast into the Paladin's leg. She was about to throw her arm forward to fire off the shot-

**A flash of red.**

**Turn right. Shoot up.**

-Yang spun on her heel, punching upwards without even aiming. She caught just the briefest glimpse of a missile headed towards her, before Ember Celica fired and it exploded harmlessly above her.

Yang blinked, staring down at her closed fist in confusion.  _How did I… why did I see…?_  Her eyes widened in realization, head snapping towards the edge of the battlefield just in time to see Ruby shift Crescent Rose into scythe mode and take a running leap at the mech's middle.

* * *

Roman frantically worked the Paladin's controls, flailing its arms in an attempt to throw off/squish Kitty Cat and Monkey Boy as they kept trying to pry open the cockpit door. He'd just started fighting seriously, he wasn't about to let those brats end his fun before it began. He swiped the mech's arm against the front of the mech, forcing the monkey Faunus to leap away before he could get his staff under the cockpit door.

The Paladin shuddered as two more missiles launched, and Roman grit his teeth.  _They were supposed to fire off all at once, not this two at a time crap! If this fight ends before I get my proof, Taurus' little 'robotics experts' are going to get an earful._

As the missiles flew away to find their targets, yet another proximity sensor went off, this time from the left. Roman didn't even look, he just yanked on the controls to have the Paladin smack aside whoever was rushing him.

However, before the mech's arm could swing all the way around, the controls locked up. Roman growled as he pulled uselessly on the controls. On the screen, he could see the problem: a giant spinning snowflake had materialized around the Paladin's forearm, holding it in place. The mech struggled against the hovering glyph, but it wouldn't budge.

There was an ungodly screeching sound, and the mech shuddered slightly. The display screen helpfully informed him of a shallow slash that had appeared across the Paladin's back. Roman focused on a small window at the bottom of the screen, showing Little Red gearing up for another run. In the window next to it, the Schnee girl had both arms extended, her fingers crossing each other in odd formations.

Roman clicked his tongue in annoyance.  _Okay, Ice Queen. Let's see if those fancy flakes have a strength limit._  Without a second thought, he slammed his hand down on a large green button near the middle of the left side console. The button turned red, and the whole mech trembled. A new warning popped up on screen

**Servo Safety Limiters Disabled.**

* * *

Weiss clenched her jaw as she tried to control a single glyph with both hands. Usually, she could create and control a single glyph of this size with just a twitch of her fingers. But with the sheer strength of the mech, it took all she had to hold it in place.

The others tried to take advantage of the mech's sudden stop, Blake and Sun leaping onto the cockpit itself to try and break it open. Blake slammed the tip of Gambol Shroud's blade into the cockpit glass, but the sword just bounced off, not even scratching the thick windows. Sun broke his staff apart, standing right above where he figured Torchwick was sitting inside the mech. With his weapon in nunchuck/gun mode, Sun started firing downwards, unloading his weapons into the top of the cockpit, to no avail.

The two most-recent missiles sailed away from the fight, only to circle back in tandem, this time focused on Blake and Sun. At the last moment, Sun pressed himself flat against the mech as Blake leapt into a backflip, each missile missing its target by mere inches. Before they could circle back again, an electric pulse and a shotgun blast turned each missile into scrap metal.

Suddenly, a high-pitched hiss came from the Paladin. Steam started drifting from the openings in its armor, mostly around its joints. The mech pulled once again on the glyph, but this time Weiss couldn't hold the glyph. With a hard yank, the Paladin broke free from the glyph, the giant snowflake shattering like a pane of glass. The sudden movement forced Sun and Blake to leap off the mech, lest they get smashed between its flailing limbs.

Weiss flinched in pain as she felt her glyph break. She shrugged it off, drawing Myrtenaster and clicking its chamber over to Fire Dust. Since her glyphs had failed to stop the mech like she'd hoped, Weiss readied herself to join Blake and Sun in their frontal assault.

She bent her knees, ready to take a running start at the massive machine, when she saw its arm start to glow. Attached to the mech's left arm was what looked to be a large cannon, but from within the gun's barrel came a deep red glow, building in intensity. Then, with speed a machine that size shouldn't have been capable of, the mech whirled around and pointed the glowing cannon right at Weiss.

" _Block this, kid!"_

Weiss was just barely aware that Torchwick had spoken from within the Paladin, her eyes frozen to the red energy filling the gun barrel. Fear overtook her, her mind going blank. The cannon gave a deep hum, and the red glow peaked.

A green blur suddenly shot passed the Paladin's arm. Torchwick let out a confused sound, before something exploded against the mech's arm. The force of the blast shifted the mech's arm, and a red beam of energy lanced just over Weiss' head, slicing through a support pillar behind her.

Weiss watched the green blur as it slowed to a stop, proving it to be Penny. With the missile no longer chasing her, the android spun in midair, facing the mech. Below her, Ruby came to a stop, Crescent Rose switching back to sniper mode.

**Flash of red.**

**Move forward. Glyph.**

At the same moment a brief flash of red tinted her vision, Weiss heard Ruby call to her. "Weiss! Combo move!"

"Right!" Weiss rushed to Ruby's side, her hand up to form her glyphs.

"Now, Penny!" Ruby yelled as she fell to one knee.

Penny nodded sharply, a hard look in her eye as her swords started spinning faster and faster around her. She brought her hands together, and her eyes blazed green as the tip of each blade glowed with energy.

"Ice Flower!"

With a twitch of her fingers, Weiss formed three glyphs in front of Crescent Rose's barrel, two for velocity and one for ice. At the same moment Ruby pulled the trigger, beams of green energy fired from each of Penny's swords, converging to form a single massive laser beam.

Torchwick saw the attacks coming, throwing the Paladin's arms up to block the incoming fire. Bullets and lasers battered against the mech's surface, ice forming all over its front legs, while its arms were being chipped away by laser fire.

Seeing their opening, Yang yelled to Neptune, "Here's our chance!" Yang broke into a run, her eyes glued to the shallow cut Ruby had left on the small of its back, Neptune right behind her, his weapon shifting to staff mode. Yang smirked, pulling her arm back to unleash an epic final punch.

* * *

Roman growled in frustration as warning after warning began peppering the screen, each one giving the same message:

**Outer Hull Temperature Exceeding Max Tolerance**

_Yes, I get it!_  He thought to himself, struggling to keep the mech's arms up, pulling up the controls so hard his knuckles were turning white.  _They're melting the Dust-damned mech! I'm working on it!_

He had to think of something fast, or all the extra armor he'd welded on would become a steaming puddle on the asphalt. Worse, now more warnings were showing up, saying that the Paladin's legs were freezing over.

Another proximity warning popped up, again from the rear of the Paladin. Sunshine was rushing up, along with the blue-haired brat (he'd think up a nickname for the kid later, when he  _wasn't_  trying to fight seven people at once).

 _Well,_  Roman thought, smirking slightly.  _At least I know how to handle_ that _one._

His hand leaving the control stick for only a moment, Roman jabbed another button on the custom console.

* * *

Yang was only ten feet away from the mech, so close she could feel the heat from Penny's lasers, when two circular panels shuttered open on the mech's back, near its shoulders. Her eyes narrowed in confusion, only to widen when a pair of domed turrets popped out of the mech's back. Yang skidded to a stop, Neptune slamming into her back mid-step. Once he got his bearings, Neptune looked up at the mech, and they both felt a sickening chill when two thin, red laser sights trained on them.

"Nope!" Yang shouted, grabbing Neptune by the arm and yanking him away as the turrets fired, sending up puffs of dust and dirt as bullets hit the ground behind the running pair.

Yang and Neptune fell back, the two now trying to shoot the tiny turrets as they dodged bullets. Blake and Sun joined them, Blake shifting Gambol Shroud into pistol mode as she and Sun added their firepower to the mix. The two Faunus jumped and leapt as they fired, confusing the two turrets as they tried to aim at four targets at once.

As Crescent Rose fired shot after shot, Ruby felt a large grin form on her lips. With the Paladin taking fire from all sides, along with its legs being slowly encased in ice, it wouldn't be too long before Torchwick would be completely vulnerable. They were going to do it. They were going to win!

* * *

"What's with these kids?!"

He knew it. He freaking knew it. He knew they should have put more auto-turrets on the Paladin, but no, he had to listen to the 'experts'. 'Too much power draw, too much processing power'. If he lost this fight because Taurus' so-called experts convinced him that two rear turrets were enough, heads would roll.

He was getting hammered. Laser Lass was ten seconds away from burning through his armor, the four brats behind him would eventually get a lucky shot and take out those turrets, and to top it all off, he couldn't even try to move anymore, because Little Red and the Schnee brat had frozen the Paladin to the ground. If something didn't change soon, he was going to lose.

 _I can't,_  he thought, gritting his teeth in denial.  _I have to know if Little Red is who I think she is… I have to_ know!

He glanced towards the left console, wracking his brain for which one of his addons could get him out of this mess. His eyes fell on a large yellow button, the word 'NO!' drawn over it in pink marker.

 _Neo…_  Roman thought to himself. If he wasn't so panicky, he'd roll his eyes. His favorite little klepto had brought back all kinds of tech from her little trip to the Atlassian warehouse he'd sent her to, but a few of them she'd warned him not to install inside the Paladin. Too dangerous, she'd said (well, typed), even for him. He'd ignored her, of course. He'd paid her good money to steal all kinds of fancy weapons, and he was damn well going to use them.

Though, it would be nice if he could remember exactly what this particular button  _did._

 _...eh, I'm losing anyways,_ he thought to himself as he felt the mech shudder around him.  _Might as well find out._

Throwing what little caution he had left to the wind, Roman pushed the yellow button. Instantly, he heard a loud humming coming from all around him. He looked around the cockpit in confusion, watching as the lights dimmed and the display flickered, all while the humming grew in intensity.

 _Crap,_ he thought to himself, a bead of sweat running down his brow.  _That was the self-destruct, wasn't it?_

Just when he was convinced that he had finally made one blunder too many, a new message popped up on the display screen. He watched as deep blue letters filled the screen.

**EMP Primed.**

Roman blinked.

Then he smirked.

* * *

"Just a little more!" Ruby yelled out over the gunfire as she unloaded Crescent Rose into the Paladin, Weiss constantly reforming her glyphs as the old ones exhausted themselves. She'd already gone through one clip, and was quickly burning through her second. Above them, Penny relentlessly fired her lasers at the Paladin, the arms of the massive machine turning a bright cherry red under the barrage of green energy.

"I got one!" Sun shouted from behind the mech, barely audible over the mass of gun and laser fire. Ruby wasn't sure what exactly it was he 'got', but from the loud 'Whoop!' Yang let out, it must have been a good thing.

 _Come on,_  she thought as the ice crept up the Paladin's torso.  _Penny's almost through its armor, it can't go anywhere; we've won!_

"Ruby! Emergency!"

Ruby felt a chill as she glanced up at Penny. "What?! What's wrong?!"

"There is a large amount of electromagnetic energy building up within the Paladin!" There was a hint of fear in the android's voice as she hovered back a few feet, her fire slowing minutely. "I think it's about to-"

_**BWUAAAAAMM!** _

With a deep, resonating sound, a wave of blue electricity erupted from the Paladin, blasting outwards in a sphere of energy. The electricity flew past them, followed by a shockwave that sent every teen careening backward. Ruby struggled to keep Crescent Rose from flying out of her arms as she was blown upwards, only to land on her back seconds later. She heard Weiss land right beside her, groaning in pain.

"Weiss!" Ruby grunted as she pushed herself up, blinking away the stars in her eyes. "Are you-"

"Aah!"

Ruby's eyes shot open, her head snapping upwards towards the pain-filled gasp above her. She sucked in a horrified gasp.

"Penny!"

Electricity danced all over Penny's body as she tried to stay in the air, flailing as her jets flickered and died. Her swords hung limply below her, suspended by razor-thin wires, clacking against each other like wind chimes. With one last puff of smoke, the last bit of green fire died from Penny's jetpack. She let out a gasp of shock, before crashing to the ground, just a few feet from Ruby.

Ruby stared at her fallen friend, unblinking. "No," she breathed, her head shaking slightly. She scrambled to her feet, stumbling in the gravel as she fell to her knees. "Penny?"

The android looked up at her friend, her green eyes flickering between extremely bright and unsettlingly dark. Sparks flew from tiny rips in her skin, showing the grey metal beneath the surface.

"Penny?" Ruby repeated softly, tears building in the corners of her wide eyes. She could hear footsteps behind her, likely Weiss making her way over. "Are… are you okay?"

Penny blinked at her, uncertainty plain on her face. Then, surprisingly, she smiled. "My internal shielding protected my primary systems, and they have sustained minimal damage." There was a slight echo in her voice, as if her words were coming from a speaker rather than her lips, but Ruby didn't care. Appearances aside, her friend was okay. Weiss echoed her feelings with a relieved sigh.

That relief died quickly when Penny's smile changed to a sad frown. "Unfortunately, reinforcing my internal shielding has drained my energy. Backup power is unavailable." Her tone turned remorseful. "I'm sorry, friend Ruby. I must power down to conserve enerrrrrggyyyy…" Without warning, Penny's voice droned out into silence, her green eyes fading to a dull grey.

Ruby's heart stopped dead. "Penny?" She reached out, shaking Penny by the shoulder. The synthetic girl didn't react, just staring blankly ahead, her eyes dark, cold…

Lifeless.

"No," Ruby breathed, her heart reduced to a lump of ice, filling her veins with a sickening cold. "No." Her breath quickly grew choppy, a tear slipping from her wide eyes.

_She's gone. I… she followed my orders, and she's gone… Penny… Penny is-_

"Ruby. Ruby!"

Cool hands curled around Ruby's chin, turning her gaze away from her fallen friend. Blue eyes filled her vision.

"Ruby, listen to me." Weiss' voice was strained, but she managed to keep a calm tone as she knelt beside Ruby, holding her head firmly in place. "The fight's not over yet. I need you to calm down, alright?"

Ruby just stared into her eyes, air escaping her in sharp, ragged breaths. She could feel it, Weiss' emotions wrapping around her like a blanket. _Calm, Worry, Protectiveness, Determination._  They entered her and filled her with warmth, her heartbeat slowing.

"B-but…" Ruby stammered, tear-filled eyes flitting towards the unmoving android. "P-Penny…"

"Will be okay," Weiss stated firmly, her tone leaving no room for debate. When Ruby just blinked at her, Weiss explained, speaking calmly. "You heard her: she shut herself down. Once she has enough power, she'll wake up." At least, that's what she hoped. Truth be told, watching the literal light fade from Penny's eyes unsettled her, but Weiss ignored it, pressing on. "She didn't seem worried about powering down, so we shouldn't either. But if we don't end this fight soon, she might get hurt while she's… unconscious."

Ruby sucked in deep breaths, staring into Weiss' calming blue eyes. She looked over at Penny's body. She swallowed, giving Weiss the tiniest nod as she pulled the heiress' hands away from her face, moving to stand up. Weiss helped her to her feet, feeling fragile determination slowly overpowering Ruby's fear and uncertainty.

"Ruby! Weiss!"

The two were startled by the call of their names, looking towards the voice. Yang and Blake were running towards them from the opposite side of the construction yard, worry plain on their faces. Sun and Neptune trailed behind them, looking equally concerned.

The group came to a stop right in front of them, Yang looking between her girlfriend and her sister. "Are you two alri-" Her voice caught in her throat when she looked down, seeing Penny limp on the ground. "Oh… crap…" she breathed, shock in her voice.

"Oh, no," Blake gasped, her feline ears folding back as she took in the unmoving girl. "Is… is she…?"

"No," Ruby said, her voice hard. Noticing Blake and Yang's brows raise at her tone, Ruby tried to sound more confident than she felt. "She's not… not gone. Just… knocked out."

Sun eyed Penny in apprehension, glancing between her limp form and Ruby. "Uh… with her eyes open?"

"Uh…" Ruby stared back at him, floundering for an answer.

"It's Penny's secret to tell," Weiss said, drawing everyone's attention. "What's important is that she's alright… probably."

"Probably?" Blake asked, eyebrow raised.

Weiss bit back a groan. "Very,  _very_  long story, which I will be happy to tell as soon as we don't have a stolen Atlassian warmachine trying to kill us!"

Everyone flinched back as Weiss' voice rose in volume and pitch. Then, realizing something, Ruby furrowed her brow. "Wait… where is the mech?"

A metallic groan answered her before anyone else could. Everyone snapped back to their battle stances, Weiss and Ruby crouching protectively over Penny's still form, as they took in the sight before them.

The Paladin was a wreck, slumped to one side as its weight shifted. It's black and red paint job had been stripped off by gunfire, just patches of color left on the dented, scratched metal. Its forearms were bare of armor, the molten steel of what was once steel plates dripping off the metal frame of its fingers. The massive energy cannon that had been pointed at Weiss earlier was ruined, its barrel having melted and bent under its own weight. From the waist down, the mech was encased in ice, steam billowing from the mech's feet as molten slag pooled around the ice. The cockpit was dark, no sign of movement, no sound to be heard.

"Is… is it dead?" Yang asked, her fist already pulled back to fire if the Paladin so much as twitched.

Weiss eyed the mech warily. "Possibly… if Torchwick failed to properly shield the Paladin from EMP detonation." At the sense of confusion coming from Yang and Ruby, she explained, "I sincerely doubt an EMP generator is a standard feature of this mech. It's likely one of the 'modifications' Penny mentions earlier."

Accepting her reasoning, the group stood there, waiting for the Paladin to make a move.

"Should we try to pull Torchwick out of there?" Sun asked after a minute.

" _Hehehe…"_

Everyone jumped as a light, short chuckle came from the Paladin's external speakers. Ruby narrowed her eyes as she gripped Crescent Rose, unconsciously loading a fresh clip.

" _Well, kiddos, I must say, that was fun."_

The Paladin shuddered, the lights of the cockpit flickering back on. As the mech straightened up, it rammed both of its heated, cherry red hands against its icy prison, sending up clouds of hissing steam.

" _But I think it's time we speed things along, huh?"_

Ruby's mind went into overdrive, thinking over every option she could come up with. The fight wasn't done yet.

Without taking her eyes off the mech, she asked, "Did that EMP mess with anyone's weapons?"

"My gun mode is shot," Neptune whispered, his voice strained as he forcibly changed the weapon into its melee form.

"Mine are stuck in nunchuk mode. Transformation switch got fried," Sun grumbled as he uselessly jabbed a button on each nunchuck.

Blake's only answer was to change Gambol Shroud's clip, then shift it to sword mode. Ruby didn't even have to ask Weiss and Yang, knowing neither of their weapons contained anything electronic.

Ruby opened her mouth to give orders, when a shattering sound broke the silence. One of the mech's legs had broken free, causing spiderweb cracks to form throughout the remaining ice.

Ruby gulped. She shook her head hard, ridding herself of her worry. "Sun, Neptune. Grab Penny and take her back to Beacon. Keep her safe, and we'll catch up when we can."

Sun shot her a surprised look. When he met her silver gaze, his lips tightened to a grim line. "Protection duty. Got it. C'mon, Nep." Sun bent over to pick Penny up by her waist, only to struggle when he tried to lift her. "Geez, how is someone so small so heavy?" Neptune then grabbed her by the legs, and the two managed to half-carry, half-drag the deactivated android out of sight behind a freeway pillar, her swords dragging along the ground behind them.

"What about us, Ruby?" Weiss asked, Yang and Blake listening as they all eyed the escaping mech.

Ruby's eyes shot all around the construction yard, focusing on the mech's quickly melting ice. They had seconds before it was loose.

"Yang," Ruby started. "Circle behind it and get ready. Blake, Weiss, go Checkmate. Blake, when you get to the other side of it, you and Yang-"

" _Sorry, Little Red…"_

Torchwick's voice brought Ruby's orders to a dead stop. With a final massive shake, the Paladin broke free of its frozen bonds, sending chunks of ice flying. There were multiple sounds of scraping metal, and holes appeared all over the mech's surface, from the cockpit, to its shoulders, to its legs.

" _But this party is over."_

More scraping metal, and turreted domes popped out of each hole. Red laser sights focused on the four girls. Ruby felt her stomach drop.

" _Bye, bye, brats!"_

Bullets everywhere. Ruby didn't even get the chance to tell her team to scatter, they were already moving. It didn't matter. Even as they all split up, at least two turrets had each girl in their sights at all times. Bullets peppered the ground behind Ruby as she Semblanced out of the way, diving behind a concrete pillar. Each of the others did the same, pressing up against the stone columns as bullets ripped into the concrete.

" _Aww. Hiding, are we?"_  Torchwick shouted in a patronizing tone as the turrets slowly ceased firing. The mech wheeled forward, spinning in a lazy circle.  _"Hate to break it to you kids, but it's pretty obvious where you are. Like you… Kitty Cat!"_  The mech lunged, backhanding the pillar closest to it. A black blur shot out seconds before the pillar was pulverized, Blake running hard as every turret focused on her.

Before they could fire, a burst of fire and shrapnel erupted against the mech's cockpit. The Paladin shuddered, twisting its waist towards the gunfire.

"Hey!" Yang shouted from beside a concrete pillar, fist extended as smoke drifted from Ember Celica's barrels. "Only I can call her that!"

In response, a dozen laser sights trained on her.

Yang flinched at the sudden attention. "Uh oh," she yelped, diving back behind the pillar as a hail of bullets tore into the concrete, chipping it away little by little.

Ruby watched in growing panic as Yang's barrier was being slowly obliterated.  _C'mon…_ she thought to herself, looking over the mech.  _There's got to be a weakness. Those turrets will rip apart anyone in their sights. We have to take them out. Maybe…_

The Paladin spun towards Yang's pillar, giving Ruby her first good view of the mech's back. To her surprise, unlike the front of the mech, which was completely loaded with turrets, there were only two on its back, one of which was smoking with a massive hole through its middle. As the mech continued its barrage form the front, Ruby could see only a single red laser sight searching for targets from the back.

 _That's it!_  Ruby thought excitedly.  _If I take out that turret… if Yang keeps it distracted, then Blake and Weiss can…_

Ruby nodded to herself, readying herself to jump and shoot.

_I'll have to move fast. I hope Blake and Weiss will be able to hear me over the gunfire._

* * *

Blake gasped as she hid against the back of a pillar, nearly bowling an already hiding Weiss in the process. Weiss made no comment, merely looking Blake over for any injuries, then peeking back around the edge of the pillar at the hail of bullets raining down on Yang's position. From where they were, she couldn't see even a glimpse of the blonde, only the cloud of dust and concrete flying up from the deteriorating pillar.

 _She won't last much longer._  Weiss could barely hold back her panic.  _We need to do something, before-_

**Red.**

**Wait. Run, crisscross. Jump, slash, run.**

-Weiss sucked in a surprised breath. It was like that moment before, only… more complex. Dozens of small movements, packed into just a few seconds. Put all together, Weiss could sum up all those familiar actions with a single word.

**Checkmate.**

Beside her, Blake let out a similar surprised sound. Their gazes locked, amber and crystal blue each asking the other the same question. Weiss couldn't help but vocalize it.

"Was that…?"

Blake gave a tiny nod. "I think so."

Weiss swallowed. An oddly exasperated part of herself put her new questions aside, adding it to the growing list of things she was going to ask about when they weren't in a fight for their lives. Instead, she gripped Myrtenaster tightly, pressing herself against the pillar as she waited for Ruby's signal, Blake mirroring her.

* * *

Ruby counted in her head.

_One… two… now!_

In a blur of red, she zipped out from behind the pillar, stopping in a kneel, staring down Crescent Rose's sights. The turret locked onto her in an instant, only to explode into shrapnel as Crescent's shot echoed throughout the area. The Paladin's gunfire stopped abruptly, servos screeching as it started to turn.

Ruby took a deep breath, ready to yell. "Bla-"

Ruby blinked, her voice catching in her throat. Blake and Weiss were already moving. In fact, they were already halfway to the mech the second the bullet left Crescent Rose's barrel.

 _But… how did they…_  her thoughts were cut off when both girls leapt a the mech, their blades gleaming in the moonlight as they sliced through the turrets on the Paladin's left arm. Torchwick let out a frustrated growl, slamming the mech's right arm over its left in an attempt to crush Blake, only for the cat Faunus to leap over it effortlessly, slicing through the next turret. Weiss leapt after her, throwing up a glyph as the remaining turrets locked onto the two of them. Bullets hammered against the snowflake, forcing the monochrome pair to leap away from the mech before it shattered. Already, red beams of light were training on the pair.

Ruby fired off a few more rounds, managing to blast one of the turrets targeting them, before bullets started flying her way once more.  _Dang it! We can't do anything with those auto turrets firing at us. Maybe with Yang free, she and Weiss can-_

**Schrrrring!**

Ruby glanced towards the ethereal sound echoing across the yard. Her eyes widened as she watched Weiss stab Myrtenaster into the ground, releasing half her Ice Dust into the area around her.

_But… why-?_

"Heeya!"

Ruby's head shot up at Yang's battle cry, watching as her sister ran out from behind her wrecked pillar, leapt high into the air, and slammed her inflamed wrist into the frozen ground. The ice vaporized instantly, sending up a cloud of fog that encompassed the entire area. The Paladin's turrets spun about, their lasers unable to find a target through the thick fog.

Ruby slowed to a stop, staring at her team in shock.  _That… that was Freezerburn. How did they know I wanted them to do that?_

**Violet.**

**Dash, slash, jump, slash.**

Ruby flinched, her body tensing at the need to move as violet tinted her vision for a moment. Her brow furrowed in confusion at the unfamiliar feeling.

_Dash, slash… Ladybug?_

Silver eyes widened as Ruby saw Blake's amber gaze focus on her through the fog. Across the Link, she felt Curiosity, Urgency, Expectancy. Suddenly, it clicked.

 _That… that's what happened in Goodwitch's class a few days ago!_  A wide grin spread across Ruby's lips, her veins filling with new-found energy.  _Instinct sharing! Yes! Yes, Ladybug, let's go!_

She saw Blake nod in her direction, and suddenly the Faunus rushed at the Paladin. Ruby was hot on her heels, blasting forward in a cloud of red as Crescent Rose changed form.

* * *

"Okay, now this is just annoying."

Roman scowled as he stared at the viewscreen, seeing nothing but a mass of grey. Error and warning messages continuously popped up on screen stating everything from damaged armor to malfunctioning weapons. Roman could not bring himself to care, too focused on the fact that he was running out of ideas. His extra armor had melted away, his big guns were warped, the overclocked servos were draining power fast, and now, almost all of the auto turrets were scrap metal, and the few that weren't were just as blind as he was at the moment.

And to top it off, he was almost certain that the EMP he'd set off did more damage to himself than to the brats. Sure, he'd taken out Laser Lass with it… somehow… and sent Monkey Boy and his sidekick scurrying away. But now, nothing wanted to work right. He jabbed buttons on both consoles, but either nothing would happen, or they'd just add another error message to the dozens already cluttering up the viewscreen. About the only thing that was still working were the arm and leg controls, but even they took a bit of extra effort to move that hadn't been there before.

 _Maybe I'll get lucky and one of them will just run into my fist._  Roman huffed to himself. He slammed the Paladin's controls forward.  _If I can get out of this fog…_

Another box appeared on screen, bigger than the others, and he rolled his eyes at the message.  _Great, another proximity sensor… from the front?_

He had all of a second to question this, when a black and red blur shot out of the fog. There was a dull scraping sound from outside the mech, followed by more error messages as, one by one, the remaining auto turrets went dark. Roman caught the briefest glimpse of that infuriating red hood, before Little Red leapt off the mech's right arm, jumping high into the air with that big ass scythe pulled back over her head, Kitty Cat mirroring her as she jumped from the left.

Roman growled. He'd set out to find one thing, just one little thing, but the Beacon brats were about to mess it all up,  _again._

_No._

In pure desperation, Roman pulled as hard as he could on the Paladin's controls.

* * *

Ruby was ecstatic, her heart hammering away thanks to the pure adrenaline pumping through her. She reared Crescent Rose back, ready to slice right through the top of the Paladin's cockpit. Blake was right beside her, her lips quirked upwards thanks to her own satisfaction and Ruby's excitement bleeding through the Link. The Faunus readied Gambol Shroud, happy to end this fight and finally get some answers.

Then, the Paladin moved.

How the massive mech could move so fast so suddenly, they could not fathom. One moment, the Paladin was stationary, pouring smoke from the demolished turrets dotting its surface. Then, seemingly in the next second, its giant open left hand was meeting them in midair.

The attack was so sudden, neither girl got the chance to even try to block. The Paladin's palm hit Blake hard, making her scream in pain as she collided with Ruby. They were both swatted aside like flies.

Ruby gasped as Blake crashed into her. She forced her eyes open, looking behind them. Her stomach dropped as she saw another stone pillar in their flight path.

Ruby moved without thinking. She wrapped her arms around Blake's waist, straightening herself out as she activated her Semblance. She bent her knees…

One second too late.

With her legs still partially extended, Ruby slammed feet-first into the pillar.

_**SNAP!** _

Time seemed to slow as the entire area became deathly silent. Yang and Weiss stopped cold in their rush to get to their girlfriends, their eyes round as saucers as a sickening snap echoed around them. Blake's irises shrank at the sound, feeling Ruby's grip on her disappear instantly.

Ruby's whole body went numb, her mind going blank as gravity took its hold. Her Semblance disintegrated around her, half-formed rose petals trailing behind her as she and Blake slid down the concrete pillar, crashing to the gravel in a heap. Crescent Rose slammed into the ground beside her, her blade impaled into the dirt.

Blake scrambled to her knees, turning to find Ruby staring up at the sky, her eyes glazed. Blake's eyes trailed down Ruby's body. Her ears slammed back against her skull, amber irises shrinking in panic at the sight of Ruby's lower leg bent at a horrifying angle.

"Ruby…" she breathed, her words coming out as a panicked hiss.

Then Ruby screamed.

"Augh!"

Pure agony. I was like her leg had been set on fire, burning from the inside out. After her first scream, Ruby clenched her teeth hard, curling in on herself as she tried to clutch at her broken leg. This was a mistake, as a sharp pain shot through her leg, like she was being stabbed from the inside. Her eyes teared up, ragged sobs slipping through her clenched teeth.

Blake watched helplessly, afraid to touch her Mate, for fear of causing her more pain.

" _Incoming, kiddies!"_

Blake turned around quickly at the yell, Ruby managing to force her eyes open a fraction.

There was a terrifying, familiar hiss of rockets firing, and the Paladin's last two missiles streaked out of its chest, straight at the fallen girls mere meters from it.

"No!" Yang screamed in horror. Weiss threw her hands up in a panic, hoping to form a glyph before the missiles hit.

Blake watched wide-eyed as the missiles sped towards her and Ruby. A yellow flash went through her mind, her instincts screaming at her to get the hell out of there, but she couldn't, not with Ruby immobilized by pain.

In desperation, Blake threw her arms over her head, her only thought hoping that she could somehow block the missiles from hitting Ruby.

Then… something strange happened. A small spot of cold formed on her neck, quickly spreading out, filling her veins with frost. She felt a vibration in her hands, and her heart gave a surprisingly hard, slow beat.

**A flash of white.**

**Block.**

Blake grit her teeth, shutting her eyes as she waited for impact.

Yang and Weiss could only stare helplessly as the missiles exploded against where Ruby and Blake lay. Fire and smoke rose up from the spot, obscuring the area. Weiss froze in place, her fingers only halfway through forming a glyph. She'd been too slow.

Yang stared at the explosion, shaking her head in denial.  _T-that's not… Ruby and Blake, they… t-they can't be…_

From within the Paladin, Torchwick let out a disappointed huff.  _"Damn. I really thought… wait…"_  The mech remained stationary as the smoke started to blow away in the wind. The mech suddenly flinched back as if Torchwick had yanked back on the controls in surprise.  _"What the hell?!"_

As the fire died and the smoke faded, Yang and Weiss showed identical looks of shock.

"Wha… How is that…?" Yang asked in stunned confusion.

"That's impossible," Weiss breathed, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Ruby stared up at the thinning smoke with wide, wet eyes, her pain shoved away by pure awe. "Blake…" she breathed shakily.

Hearing Ruby's soft call, Blake realized that, somehow, they weren't dead. She'd heard the explosion, she'd felt the heat of the blast, but there was strangely no pain. Her arms felt oddly sore, though.

Blake slowly opened her eyes, peering up at the Paladin through crossed arms. She inhaled sharply, her arms lowering as her ears shot up in shock.

Hovering above her, smoke still drifting off its surface, was the familiar shape of a large snowflake, spinning rapidly as its form shimmered in the moonlight. Just like all of Weiss' glyphs, it was completely identical to the Schnee logo in every way.

Save one.

"Blake…" Ruby murmured again, unable to look away from the sight above her. "Are you doing this?"

Blake didn't answer, just staring up at the impossibility before her.

Spinning above her and Ruby was a glyph.

A  _purple_  glyph.

Bright, shining violet, from the flake itself to the two rings surrounding it, the whole thing was wreathed in a dark shadow that made the light of the snowflake pop.

Blake's eyes slowly trailed away from the strange glyph, down towards her still-crossed arms. To her complete bafflement, her right hand was shrouded in that same purple light, her fingers curled and folded into a familiar gesture, one that she'd seen Weiss make countless times.

On her neck, the blue snowflake on her Mark glowed.

 _Did… did I…?_  She looked back up at the purple snowflake, her ears folding back as the realization sank in. ... _is this glyph… mine?_

" _Well… that's new."_

Blake snapped back to focus, looking through the glyph - her glyph - at the Paladin just a few meters away from them.

" _Neat trick, kid."_  Torchwick's voice sounded strained, like he was both shaken and impressed.  _"But let's see just how strong it is!"_

With a squeal and a groan, the Paladin rolled forward, its wheels spinning in the gravel. It reared back its fist, fully intending to shatter the off-color glyph.

Weiss, shaken out of her stunned stupor by Torchwick's voice, yelled out in a panic, "Blake, hold it!"

"How?!" the Faunus screamed back, holding her arms over her head. To Weiss' dismay, the violet glyph wavered in the air, it's light flickering.

 _Don't lose focus!_ She wanted to scream. Before she could, Yang let out a yell of her own.

"Get away from them!"

Yang leapt forward, running towards the rushing Paladin, her eyes blazing red and her hair glowing in anger. When she saw the mech close the short distance between it and her partner faster than she was, her heart hammered painfully in desperation.

"I won't let you hurt them!"

A tingling sensation shot from her neck down to her legs. The rose on her neck glowed.

Weiss stared after her, ready to follow, when the impossible happened again. One moment, Yang was running towards the Paladin. The next, she vanished, and a yellow blur streaked across the construction yard.

Blake's eyes were wide with fear, watching as the Paladin closed the distance between them in seconds, praying that, wherever and however this glyph had appeared, it would hold against the blow of this giant war machine. Behind her, Ruby did the same, overwhelmed by fear and pain.

The Paladin slowed just slightly, throwing its fist out…

A yellow comet struck it from the side mid-punch. Blake could actually see a shockwave emanate from the impact, pieces of steel either folding in under the blow or just flying off entirely. In a split second, the cockpit sheared off from the Paladin's main body, the metal breaking and buckling. She heard a scream of shock and panic come from inside the cockpit as it went sailing away from the rest of the mech, crashing and breaking through a concrete pillar before skidding across the ground, leaving a trail in the gravel.

Blake turned away from the broken cockpit, just in time to see the rest of the Paladin collapse, falling forward as electricity arced and sparked from the gaping hole in its center. The mech crashed to the ground, smoke billowing from every crevice in its armor

Blake barely noticed this, though. Her eyes were trained on the mass of yellow standing in front of her glyph, slowly dissolving to show a snarling Yang, her fist still outstretched from giving the Paladin a massive punch.

Yang's rage disappeared with a blink, red eyes fading back to lavender. She stood up straight, looking from the broken cockpit to the decapitated Paladin, when she noticed what was floating in the air around her. Her mouth fell open as she looked around wildly. Lifting her arm, she grabbed at the mass of yellow. Turning her hand over, she opened her fist and stared at her palm in disbelief. "What…?" she murmured.

As the cloud of yellow drifted to the ground, Ruby reached out and plucked a few spots of yellow from the gravel. She ran her thumb along one of them, recognizing the texture instantly. She couldn't believe it. "Rose petals?" She looked back up at her big sister, still staring down at her palm.

Weiss watched the petals drift in the air in wonder as she came closer to her team. "Yang," she murmured, drawing the blonde's attention. "How did you do that?"

Yang stared back at her, eyeing the yellow rose petals she had apparently created. "I… I have no idea," she admitted with a lost shrug. She then bobbed her head to the side. "How is Blake doing  _that?_ "

Weiss followed her gaze, towards the violet snowflake now spinning lazily a few feet above them. Tentatively, Weiss reached to touch it. She hesitated for a moment, then pressed her palm against its smooth surface. It was cool to the touch, but not ice cold like her own. More like pressing her hand against a pane of glass on a cool day than a sheet of ice. "Incredible…"

Blake let out a startled gasp when Weiss touched the glyph. She could feel it, like Weiss had laid her hand against her arm. Weiss looked towards her at the sound. Swallowing, the heiress asked, "Blake? Do you think you can cancel the glyph?"

Blake blinked at her, confusion mixing with shock. "How?"

Weiss' eyes trailed to Blake's hand. "Just… uncross your fingers."

Blake looked at her hand, still covered in purple light. Glancing at Weiss, she relaxed her hand, her fingers coming apart. The glow around her hand faded instantly, and seconds later, the glyph phased out of existence.

All four girls stared at the empty space above their head, utterly confused. The silence was only broken when Ruby let out a yelp, clenching her eyes shut as pain shot up her leg as she shifted her weight.

"Oh! Ruby!" Weiss rushed to her partner's side, trying to assess just how bad Ruby's leg was without moving it.

Yang was right behind her, hovering over them all. "Sis, are you okay?" When Ruby cracked open an eye, giving her a flat-if-pained look, Yang let out an awkward laugh. "Yeah, stupid question. Sorry."

Blake looked between them, feeling lost. "What do we-"

_**CLANG!** _

The girls stiffened as a deep clang of metal echoed around the area. Yang whirled around towards the sound, arms dropping to a boxing stance. Blake shot into a kneeling position, holding Gambol Shroud in a reverse grip.

Across the yard, the battered Paladin cockpit wobbled where it lay. Another loud bang sounded as the cockpit cracked open, protesting against its bent frame. One last hit made it fly open, and a form tumbled out of the wreckage.

Torchwick gasped for air, coughing and hacking as he pushed himself to his knees. Catching his breath, he forced himself to his feet. His formerly pristine suit was ripped and charred, his coat falling open due to its missing buttons. His bowler hat was gone, showing off his messy orange hair. A trail of blood ran down his face from his hairline, dripping over his right eye. In one hand, he held his cane in a death grip, while in the other, a black metal box, wires dangling across its surface.

Yang and Blake tensed, waiting for Torchwick to make a move. Weiss leaned protectively over Ruby, pointing Myrtenaster at the con man as she spun the cylinder over to Lightning Dust.

Torchwick's green eyes took in the field around him, lingering on the destroyed mech, before focusing on the teenagers. He met Yang's red gaze evenly, then turned his attention to Ruby, who glared back at him through her pain.

Torchwick blinked. Then, to their surprise, he dipped his head and placed a hand over his face. He let out a soft chuckle that sounded of disbelief. Confusing them further, when he put his hand down and looked at them, he was smiling.

"Well, I must say, that was fun." Torchwick then gave an exaggerated shrug, shaking his head. "But, unfortunately, it seems you broke my new toy, so we'll have to reschedule playtime."

Yang was about to rush him, when a person just seemed to…  _appear_  beside Torchwick: a girl around their age, wielding a parasol, her hair and outfit a mismatch of white, brown, and pink.

Torchwick gave the newcomer a smirk. "Neo! Just in time! Let's jet."

The girl eyed him with her mismatched brown and pink eyes, her lips set in a small frown. She gave him a hard look that almost bordered on concern. She nodded all the same, taking his arm.

"Wait!" Blake shouted, getting to her feet and taking a step forward. The odd pair turned towards her, Neo glaring in irritation, while Torchwick eyed the Faunus with amusement.

"Sorry, Kitty Cat, but the fun's over. Places to be, things to steal. You know how it is."

Yang growled when Torchwick used her nickname again, but Blake pressed on. "Why are you working for the White Fang?"

Torchwick blinked at her, then barked a laugh. "Why? Easy. They pay cash."

Blake's ears perked up, her eyes widening. "W-what?"

Torchwick snickered at her bafflement. "Lien, kitten. Makes the world go round." He turned his focus towards the others, his eyes locking with Yang's, then Ruby's. He smiled again, putting two fingers to his forehead in mock salute. "See ya later, Rosebuds!"

Ruby's eyes widened, her brow furrowing at the con man. Confusion flashed across Yang's face, before she noticed Torchwick take a step backward. "You're not going anywhere!" she snarled. She jabbed her arm forward, Ember Celica roaring.

Torchwick just smirked, finishing his salute as she shotgun burst him and Neo. To the shock of Team RWBY, the instant the blast hit, Roman and Neo shattered, their bodies breaking apart like they were made of glass. A split-second later, the shards of ex-person faded away, dissolving into nothingness.

"What?" Yang sprinted to where the criminals had been, looking for any sign of them. Blake was right behind her, amber eyes scanning every surface of the construction yard. Her ears folded back when she found nothing, just smashed concrete and a destroyed mech.

"He got away…" Blake's whole body slumped, all her energy drained. All that, for  _nothing._

Yang had similar sentiments, growling as she kicked a piece of scrap metal in frustration. It flew off into the distance, clanging against the concrete.

Ruby felt her heart drop as she felt Blake's hopelessness. "I'm sorry, Blake." She hissed as she felt her leg burn, her eyes watering up again.

Weiss put a hand on Ruby's shoulder in sympathy. Then she remembered. "I managed to get some info from the SDC," she said, drawing startled looks from her team. "I'm sure we'll find something in them."

A spark of hope came from Blake, which quickly spread over the rest of the team. "That's great, Weiss!" Ruby beamed up at the heiress. "Now we can-  _Augh!"_

Everyone flinched when Ruby let out a yelp, biting her lip to keep from screaming. "Ruby, what is it?" Weiss asked, Blake and Yang sprinting back to their side.

Ruby gasped through her teeth, looking down at her crooked leg. "I think my aura's trying to heal my leg."

"Uh, not at that angle, it's not!" Yang surged forward, kneeling next to Ruby. "Okay, we freak out about everything later. First, we need to get you taken care of, Rubes."

Blake nodded in agreement, scanning over the area again. She squinted a the city skyline. "I don't think the airfield is too far from here. We could try to get back to Beacon."

"Wouldn't it be better to take her to a hospital?" Weiss asked, uncertainty plain on her face.

Blake's ears suddenly shot up. She turned towards the south, her body tensing. Yang and Weiss noticed this. They followed her gaze, confused, until they heard it.

Sirens.

Yang gave Weiss a sidelong look. "Depends. You rather risk explaining all this to the school faculty, or the local PD?"

Weiss met her gaze, then glanced in the direction of the sirens. "Let's go," she said, climbing to her feet and sheathing Myrtenaster.

Yang nodded to her, then turned her attention to Ruby. Her sister looked up at her nervously.

Yang could only give her a helpless half-smile. "Sorry, Ruby," she muttered, trying to keep her voice soft. "This is gonna hurt a bit."

Yang slipped her arms under Ruby's shoulder blades and the back of her knees. The sniper gasped as her leg was jostled. Yang could only give her a sympathetic look, tensing her legs to stand. "Okay, sis. On three. One… two…"

"Wait!"

Yang nearly fell over as Weiss yelled out. She fixed the heiress with a small glare, making Weiss duck her head sheepishly. "Sorry. I just… had an idea." She lifted both her hands, her fingers twitching. "Ruby, lie very still." She crossed her fingers, and a white glow enveloped her hands.

Ruby sucked in a sharp breath when her leg suddenly became very cold. Two glyphs formed around her broken leg, one on her ankle, the other just below her knee. A shiver went up Ruby's spine at the feeling, like the inside of her leg had frozen, but she'd take the numbness over burning pain.

Weiss looked over her handiwork, nodding at Ruby's leg being held straight by her glyphs. "That should help, but I can't hold it long."

Yang nodded back, impressed by Weiss' quick thinking. "Okay, here we go, Rubes." She lifted Ruby off the ground effortlessly. The younger girl let out a small hiss when her leg jostled, but the pain quickly faded against the cold of Weiss' glyphs.

Ruby stiffened suddenly. "Wait! Where's Crescent Rose?"

"I've got it, Ruby," Blake assured her, slinging the compacted scythe over her shoulder. She stumbled a little under the weapon's weight, but adjusted quickly.

Ruby relaxed instantly, leaning into Yang's shoulder. "Okay. Let's go home."

The three uninjured Huntresses took off in a run, Yang cradling Ruby against her chest. As they started moving, Blake let out a groan.

Weiss looked over at her, keeping her fingers crossed as she ran. "What is it?"

Blake held up her scroll. "I was going to find out if Sun and Neptune are okay, but my scroll's fried. Must have been the EMP."

Weiss hummed in acknowledgment, making a note that she'd have to get replacement scrolls for them all.

From her place in Yang's arms, Ruby sent Blake a reassuring smile. "I'm sure they're fine. They're probably back at Beacon already."

* * *

**Beacon Academy**

In one of Beacon's highest towers, Professor Ozpin sat at his desk, scanning through his various computer screens as information flooded across them. He'd spent most of the day juggling normal Headmaster duties, the headache of the Atlassian military being in his city, and the reports coming in from his various 'side projects'. All in all, it had been a long, tedious day, and he was looking forward to ending it.

He took a long sip from his coffee as he read over the latest report, something about multiple car wrecks and rogue Atlassian equipment. He had just started reading when an incoming audio call popped up on one of the screens.

"Yes?"

"Sir," a female voice spoke, her tone respectful. "Two boys from Haven Academy just burst into the infirmary carrying an unconscious girl."

Ozpin gave his full attention to the call, his brow furrowing. Given Beacon Academy's nature as a Hunter's school, injuries among the student body were rather common. Unless an injury was life-threatening, there was little reason for the Headmaster to be informed every time a student was injured. "Is her situation critical?"

"Well… that's just the thing, sir." The woman (one of the faculty's on-duty nurses, if he was remembering correctly) sounded a bit put-off now. "I examined her, and… the girl… sir, the only way for me to put this is… she's a robot."

Ozpin stared at the screen for a moment, blinking slowly. His lips straightened into a thin line. "The two boys who brought her in. Did they happen to give the girl's name?"

"Yes, sir. They said her name was Penny."

A sigh escaped Ozpin's lips as he put a hand to his forehead, massaging his temples. "I'll be down shortly. Please inform both young gentlemen to stay where they are until I arrive."

"Yes, sir." The connection cut off.

Ozpin shook his head slightly, already feeling a new headache forming. Whatever the situation was in the infirmary, another talk with his old friend Ironwood would be unavoidable. He made to get out of his chair, when another message appeared on screen, a video call this time. He felt a small bit of exasperation at the interruption, but it died upon seeing the call's place of origin.

Ozpin slowly sat back down in his chair, looking at the call icon as a ringing sound came from his computer terminal. He double-checked the caller ID, making sure he hadn't misread it. His curiosity piqued, he accepted the call.

Before he could say anything, the image of a dark-haired woman appeared on screen. "Hello?" she asked, disbelief and desperation in her voice. "Please tell me this is Beacon Academy. I've been trying to get a call through all week!"

Ozpin's eyes widened slightly. His lips then curved up into a small smile. "I am Professor Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy."How may I help you, Mrs. Belladonna?"


	10. A Daughter's Remorse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betaed by Ril_Locke [(Covert Weapon)](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/926755/Covert-Weapon)
> 
> [LiLaL'S TV Tropes Page](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/LinkedInLifeAndLove)
> 
> [Cross-posted on FF.net](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11689623/33/Linked-in-Life-and-Love)

 

"This sucks."

Ruby pouted as she stared at her leg, wrapped in a cocoon of cloth and metal.

Amazingly, her whole team had made it to the airfield with no issues, the Bullhead pilot asking a surprisingly low amount of questions when Yang carried Ruby into the aircraft. It had been a tense ride back to Beacon, each of them wrapped up in their own thoughts for the time being. The only bit of conversation had been Blake asking Weiss about the information she'd acquired.

A quick run through the nigh-empty grounds, and Team RWBY had busted through the infirmary doors, into a long room filled with beds on either side. To their surprise, Sun and Neptune were there waiting for them, sitting next to a bed that contained a comatose Penny.

The on-duty nurse had given them all a stern look, looking rather irritated at everyone. Regardless, the woman had wasted no time analyzing Ruby's injury, encasing her leg in a brace once she identified the extent of the break. Then she demanded Ruby spend the night in the infirmary, placing her on an empty bed and propping her leg up on a pair of pillows.

Weiss sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I know, Ruby, but it won't be so bad."

"Three days!" Ruby shouted, throwing her arms up over her head. "I'm gonna be stuck like this for three days! How is that not bad?"

"Could be worse, Sis." Yang leaned against the wall by the bed, a crooked smile on her lips. "Last time I broke my arm, it took me two weeks to heal. And, hey, at least you ain't the only one who broke something." As proof, she raised her right hand, showing off the small cast wrapping around her pinky and ring fingers. The nurse had made a point to look them all over after Ruby, and had been annoyed to find that Yang had managed to fracture the bones in her knuckles. No amount of assurance from the blonde that she was fine could stop the nurse from slapping a brace over Yang's busted hand.

Ruby huffed at her, crossing her arms. "Yours will be healed by tomorrow. I'm just stuck like this."

"Hey, Yang's right, Ruby," Sun said from across the room, sitting backward in a borrowed chair next to Penny's bed. He crossed his arms over the chair's back, smirking. "It could be  _way_  worse. You could be like the non-Hunters, no Semblance, nor aura-healing, and be limping around for two  _months._ " Neptune nodded in agreement, standing next to his friend.

Ruby's eyes widened as she swallowed thickly. She let out a groan, letting her head fall back on her pillow. "Still sucks," she muttered, pouting up at the ceiling.

Weiss breathed a laugh. "I don't know, Ruby. It might be good for you to slow down for once."

Ruby responded by sticking out her tongue at the heiress, making Weiss roll her eyes.

Blake chuckled at her Mates' banter, sitting on the opposite side of the bed, mindful of Ruby's broken leg right next to her.

The room fell silent, and as the seconds ticked on, tension started to build. While the nurse was fixing Ruby's leg, Sun had relayed a bit of terrifying news:

Professor Ozpin was on his way down to see Penny.

Blake's eyes drifted to the bed across from Ruby's. Penny's dull grey eyes stared back at her, cold and lifeless. The girl was put on her stomach, metal wires running out from her back down to the foot of her bed, where her swords lay in a heap. Her jetpack was still in place, giving a clear view that she wasn't wearing the contraption, it was physically attached to her.

Upon seeing the state Penny was in, Ruby and Weiss knew that there was no chance of hiding her robotic nature from their team. They'd reluctantly told the group about how they'd met Penny at the CCT, and how everything snowballed from there.

As Blake looked at the deactivated android, she felt conflicted. Part of her didn't know what to make of the situation. A synthetic lifeform, one that seemed completely human in every way; the very idea was frightening. Alien.

But that part of Blake's mind shut down once she remembered everything Penny had done. She'd helped herself and Ruby fight that night at the docks. She'd saved Yang from becoming a smear on Vale's streets. She'd saved Weiss from being lasered into oblivion.

Whatever confusion Blake had over the situation, one thing was certain: Penny had saved her Mates, putting herself in harm's way to protect them. To Blake, that meant she deserved the benefit of the doubt.

Yang had had a similar thought, merely staring at Penny wide-eyed for a few moments, before shrugging. It was weird, -beyond weird-, but after everything that had happened that day, a laser-shooting robot girl was just one more bit of crazy to add to the list.

Surprisingly, Sun and Neptune had barely reacted to the information at all. Considering that they had been the ones to carry Penny all the way back to Beacon, they'd gotten a pretty good idea of what Penny was even before the nurse confirmed it for them. They'd come to a simple agreement: ask Penny about it when she woke up, and just go from there.

But first, they all had to deal with the same problem. What were they going to tell Professor Ozpin? Not just about Penny, but about why she was with RWBY to begin with? How did Ruby break her leg? How were Sun and Neptune involved?

Sun and Neptune were fretting about that, but for the other members of Team RWBY… something much stranger, more extraordinary was on their minds.

Between the four of them, a myriad of emotions formed within the Link, pooling around them in a way that made it nearly impossible to tell which feeling came from which girl. Confusion, Worry, Awe, Curiosity, Excitement, Nervousness, Fear; the four Mates could only sit in silence, thinking over the impossibility of their fight with Torchwick.

Unable to take the quiet anymore, Yang let out a resigned sigh. "So… anyone got a clue about what the  _hell_  happened out there?"

Everyone turned towards her, Sun and Neptune looking on in confusion. Blake's ears folded back slightly in worry. "I don't know, Yang. That… that was incredible."

"More like 'impossible'." Weiss muttered, crossing her arms as she frowned at nothing.

Yang chuckled nervously. "Apparently not, Snowflake. I…" She shook her head, grinning in disbelief. "I used Ruby's Semblance."

The following silence was deafening. Yes, the other members had witnessed Yang's sudden burst of super-speed, but somehow, hearing Yang say it aloud made it much more real.

"But… you couldn't have," Weiss denied weakly, a lost look in her eyes. "You have a completely different Semblance from Ruby. Semblances don't just  _change._ "

"Well, I did  _something_." Yang let out a frustrated sigh, running her good hand through her hair. "I mean… you all saw the rose petals, right?"

Weis faltered, looking down at her hands. "Y-yes… but we don't know for sure if they really were the same as Ruby's-"

"They were," Ruby said softly, cutting Weiss off. All eyes turned to her, everyone noting the thoughtful look on her face. She hesitated under the attention, but she explained. "I grabbed a few of them when they hit the ground." She lifted her arm, a red haze forming around it as she moved it in front of her. As her arm blurred over the short distance, a few red rose petals trailed behind it. Ruby snatched them out of the air, holding them in her palm. She ran her thumb over them, feeling the texture. "They felt exactly like mine. Just… they were yellow."

Weiss looked at the petal in Ruby's palm, eyes filled with uncertainty. She let out a sigh, looking between Ruby and Yang helplessly. Her emotions were clear: Confusion. Denial. Wonder. Awe. She closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. "But it doesn't make sense! How could Yang just suddenly use Ruby's Semblance like that? It goes against everything I've learned. Yang using superspeed would be like… like…"

"Me, using glyphs?"

Weiss stiffened at Blake's soft question. She lowered her hand, meeting Blake's uncertain gaze as the Faunus' ears pinned back. She held Blake's eyes for a moment, then her shoulders slumped in defeat. She closed her eyes again, hanging her head. "Yes," she reluctantly admitted. "Exactly like that."

Silence fell once again, each girl retreating into her own thoughts.

Across the room, Neptune leaned over Sun's shoulder, cupping his hand over his mouth. "You feel like we missed something?" he whispered, eyes still on the group of girls.

Sun just nodded, resigning himself to being out of the loop. "Uh-huh." He rested his chin on his arms, watching the conversation in the hopes he could figure out just what the  _hell_  they were talking about.

Before the silence could turn awkward, Weiss took a loud, deep breath, standing up from the bed. "Okay," she said, whirling around to face her team. "Let's just… figure out exactly what happened, Blake." She turned her attention to the cat Faunus, who looked back up at her in question. "When you-" Weiss took another breath, as if steeling herself. "-made that glyph… do you remember what you were thinking?"

Blake's brow furrowed in thought as she thought back to that moment, watching the Paladin's missiles streak towards her and Ruby. "I didn't really have time to think. I just wanted to keep Ruby safe." She glanced towards the sniper, who beamed back. Blake returned the smile, before turning back to Weiss. 'I hoped that I could… somehow block the missiles."

"That's it?" Weiss asked, eyebrow arching in disbelief. "You just… hoped?"

Blake shrugged. "I guess…" Then she blinked, remembering. "Well, I did  _feel_  something."

"Feel?" Weiss asked. "Like, with the Link?"

Blake considered that. "Not… exactly. My vision tinted white, and my instincts told me block. Then… I felt cold." Weiss blinked in surprise, and Blake explained. "I felt this spot of cold in my neck… my Mark. Then, it expanded, down my neck and to my arms." She frowned, feeling frustrated at herself. "I don't remember anything past that. I closed my eyes, I…  _felt_  the explosion. And when I looked up…"

"Purple glyph," Yang finished, crossing her arms as she leaned heavily against the wall.

Blake nodded, having no other words to explain. She looked at Yang expectantly. "What about you, Yang? What do you remember?"

Yang met her amber gaze evenly, then let out a deep breath. "Geez, I don't know. It happened in, like, a second. I saw that I wasn't going to reach you guys in time and, the next thing I know, I'm right in front of you and Ruby, the mech's trashed, and my hand feels like I tried to punch a mountain."

"Did you feel anything?" Ruby asked, looking up at her sister with starry eyes. As weird as it was that she'd seen Yang use her Semblance, part of her was bouncing off the walls with excitement. She loved her super speed, and the idea that she might be able to share it with someone… "Blake said she felt cold. Did my Semblance make you feel anything?"

Yang saw the look in Ruby's eye, and sighed in exasperation. "Okay, let me think." She thought back to the fight, to the moment she realized that she wasn't going to reach her Mate and her sister in time. The desperation, the fear, how all her energy seemed to disappear at once, the pain buzzing in her legs…

Yang's eyes widened.

"Yeah… yeah, I do remember something." Her teammates listened intently, filled with curiosity and wonder. "I realized I wasn't going to make it, and then I felt this… tingling feeling in my legs."

"Tingling?" Wess asked, tilting her head slightly.

Yang nodded. "Yeah. It was weird. I suddenly felt like I'd run a marathon. My lungs were burning and my legs felt like pins and needles."

Weiss suddenly stiffened. That… sounded very familiar. In fact, she'd had that same feeling earlier that day.

 _No… no, there's no way._  "Yang… did your Mark tingle a little as well?"

Yang blinked at Weiss, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Actually… yeah. It started in my neck, and then it shot-"

"-down your spine?" Weiss asked, biting her bottom lip. "To your legs?"

Yang's eyes narrowed further. "Yeah… exactly like that. How did you know that's how it felt?"

Weiss swallowed down the lump in her throat, her shoulders fighting with nervous energy. "That depends. After the tingling feeling went to your legs, did things seem different to you? Like the world around you… changed color?"

Yang's eyes went wide. "Y-yeah. Everything went yellow." She uncrossed her arms starting at Weiss in shock. "Weiss, how do you know that?"

Weiss met her eyes, glancing at Blake and Ruby, before looking down at the ground. "Because… I think I did the same thing earlier today."

Ruby's eyes widened, looking between her partner and her sister.  _Weiss used my Semblance too?!_  Blake and Yang had similar thoughts, staring at the heiress in complete bafflement.

"Weiss…" Ruby breathed. "When did-"

_Click!_

All conversation came to a dead stop as the infirmary door swung open.

"Aww, right when things were getting interesting…" Sun mumbled. A sharp elbow-jab from Neptune silenced him, and every teen in the room felt cold dread when they saw who had just entered.

"Well, it would seem I'm late to the party," Professor Ozpin quipped, the corner of his lip lifting slightly at their shocked looks as he walked into the room, his cane clicking lightly on the linoleum floor. "I would say 'good evening', but it seems you all might disagree."

A bit confused by his words, Blake took a quick glance around the room. She had to hold back a grimace as she noticed the state her team was in. With everything going through her mind, appearances had escaped her attention. Now she wished she'd noticed sooner.

Even aside from Yang and Ruby's injuries, Team RWBY looked like they'd crashed head first through a building. Their once clean and pristine outfits were riddled with cuts and small tears, brown stains and smudges gathered around their arms and backs. Even Sun and Neptune hadn't escaped unscathed, their clothes covered in gravel and dirt.

Weiss was the first to really react, cheeks tinting in embarrassment as she crossed her arms, trying to hide a large rip across her jacket, showing off a tiny sliver of pale skin across her stomach. "S-sir, I promise we can explain why we look-!"

Ozpin cut her off with a raised hand, smiling patiently. "And I look forward to hearing that explanation… tomorrow."

There was a brief moment of silence, surprised looks being the only response to his statement. Blake decided to be brave and asked. "Tomorrow, sir?"

Ozpin merely nodded. "You all appear to have gone through quite an ordeal. I suggest you all have a good night's rest, and first thing tomorrow, you can all explain, in detail, exactly how it is you all encountered a stolen military prototype, and decided to fight it all by yourselves down a three-mile stretch of highway."

Everyone ducked their heads as Ozpin finished speaking. He didn't raise his voice, nor did his smile falter, but the look in his eyes said it all: Ozpin wasn't happy with them.

Ozpin's smile widened slightly at their reactions. "Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir," the group chorused in resignation.

Ozpin nodded at them, satisfied with their answer. "Very good. Now, then." He then turned towards Sun and Neptune, his smile fading to a grim line. The Haven students flinched under the sudden attention, only to realize that the professor was actually looking past them. Ozpin took a few steps toward the bed behind them, looking down at the silent android. "What I  _would_  like answered right now is: how exactly do you know this girl?"

With that single sentence, the tension in the room increased tenfold. There was something about the way Ozpin was looking at Penny, the slight dip in his tone, that made each teen shiver slightly.

"She's our friend," Ruby finally said.

Ozpin turned to face Ruby, raised a single brow at her. "Is she?"

Ruby nodded, smiling slightly. "Yep! We met her last month and she helped us with… some things." She trailed off quickly, realizing that, as far as they knew, Ozpin didn't know about the battle down at the docks.

The corner of Ozpin's lip quirked at her sudden fumbling. He hummed slightly, looking back down at Penny. "I see. Then, if you would, Miss Rose, what is your opinion of Penny?"

Ruby blinked at the question. "Um… she's nice? Always wanting to help, very friendly. I'm happy I met her."

Ozpin nodded. "And that opinion still holds true? Even knowing her… nature?"

Ruby tilted her head a bit, unsure what Ozpin meant. Then she saw him glance towards the foot of Penny's bed, at the pile of swords and wires resting at Penny's feet. Ruby's eyes widened in realization. "You mean… that she's a robot?" she asked hesitantly.

Ozpin nodded again. "Yes."

A deep frown formed on Ruby's face, confusion in her silver eyes. "What does that matter?"

Now it was Ozpin's eyes that widened, if only slightly. He stared at Ruby for a few seconds, his expression rather blank. His eyes slowly drifted away from Ruby and over the other students in the room. Yang wore a frown just like Ruby's, though there was an almost challenging glint in her eye. Weiss just looked worried, eyes darting between Ruby and Ozpin, likely afraid that her partner had crossed some line. Blake simply met his gaze, though her flicking ear betrayed her nerves.

One thing was clear, though: none of the members of Team RWBY seemed to disagree with their leader's words.

Ozpin then turned his attention to the two Haven students, who each flinched when he met their eyes. "What of you two? What's your opinion of this girl?"

Sun and Neptune glanced at each other, unsure how to answer. Neptune shrugged at Sun, leaving the question to him. They turned back to the Headmaster, Sun sitting up a little straighter in his chair. "We only really met her tonight. She seems okay. Saved our butts a couple times."

Ozpin's eyebrow raised again, and Neptune resisted the urge to smack the back of his friend's head. Trying to salvage his partner's informal statement, Neptune said, "She seemed a little shy when we first met, but she was very friendly once we introduced ourselves."

Ozpin hummed to himself. He looked over the room at large, noting the nervous and determined looks he was receiving. He looked back down at Penny, at her blank eyes. He noticed a strand of orange hair that had fallen across her face. Brow furrowed slightly, he bent down, running a hand across Penny's forehead, tucking the hair back behind her ear. Her skin felt warm, exactly like a normal girl's.

The Headmaster looked into Penny's grey eyes for a moment, as if searching for something. He apparently found whatever it was, nodding slightly to himself before standing up straight.

"Again," he said aloud, almost to himself. "Something to discuss tomorrow. In the meantime." He turned back to the teens, his usual smile back in place. "It's getting late, and I'm sure you all could use some rest. Miss Rose, I understand you will be spending the night here?"

Ruby crossed her arms, grumbling to herself. "That's what the nurse said…"

Ozpin just smiled. "Well then, perhaps your team could bring you a meal before visiting hours end. As for you two," Ozpin fixed Sun and Neptune with a look that froze their veins. "Can I expect to see both of you in my office by ten tomorrow, alongside Team RWBY?"

Sun swallowed, wondering how Beacon's headmaster could be nothing like his own, yet somehow be even scarier. "Yes, sir. We'll be there bright and early."

Ozpin nodded in acceptance. "Very good. Now, Miss Belladonna…"

Blake's ears shot straight up at her being addressed. She wilted under the Headmaster's gaze. "Y-yes, sir?"

The smile on Ozpin's face grew slightly, his eyes a bit brighter than before. "There is a small issue that has been brought to my attention, regarding yourself. If you'd please accompany me to my office, I'm sure we could clear everything up."

Blake's ears pinned back, a look of dread on her face.  _W-what? What does that mean? Does…_ A thought struck her, sending a cold chill down her spine.  _Did he maybe_ just _find out that I was in the White Fang?_

She felt a warm hand land on her arm, cutting through her panicked thoughts.

Ruby sat up in her bed, wincing slightly as her leg jolted in protest. She ran her hand up and down Blake's forearm, hoping to soothe the Faunus' worry. She looked up at the headmaster in concern. "Sir, is Blake in some kind of trouble?"

Ozpin merely chuckled. "Not at all. Just a minor discrepancy on her student record I'd like to get cleared up. Once we're finished, I'll send her back to your dorm room."

Blake's worry turned to confusion, wondering what he meant. Ozpin then met her eyes, before looking pointedly at the top of her head. His eyebrow rose again.

Blake blushed in embarrassment, her cat ears twitching slightly.  _Right. The school records still have me listed as a human. Why didn't I think of that?_

She shot Ruby a reassuring smile. "It's okay, Ruby. I'll see you all soon." Without a second thought, she leaned over and pecked Ruby on the cheek.

Ruby was startled for a moment, before a broad grin spread over her face. "O-okay."

Blake stood up from the bed, missing Weiss' eyes bugging out as they darted from her Mates to Ozpin. For his part, the headmaster's only reaction was his brow raising just a hair higher.

"See ya later, Blake," Yang said with a grin, though her gaze did stray to Ozpin, a wary glint in her eyes.

Blake nodded to her, smiling, when she felt a sudden burst of Worry, Want, Indecision, coming from beside her. She saw Weiss looking at her, biting her lip as her eyes darted between herself, Ruby, and then Professor Ozpin.

For once, Blake didn't need to guess at what Weiss was worrying about. She leaned across the bed, putting her hand over Weiss'. The heiress stiffened in surprise, then gave a soft smile when she realized what Blake was doing. Blake smiled back, giving Weiss' hand a small squeeze.

Giving her attention back to Ozpin, Blake nodded. "Ready when you are, sir."

Ozpin merely nodded, smiling kindly. "Very well then. I'll see you tomorrow, Team RWBY, gentlemen." Nodding to each group, he started walking away, back towards the doors, Blake trailing behind him.

As the student-teacher pair disappeared out the doors, Sun stood up from his chair, patting the dust and dirt from his pant's legs. "Well, if he ain't gonna chew us out tonight, I think that's our cue to head out." He flashed the remaining girls his usual grin. Throwing up a hand in a lazy wave, Sun headed for the door. "See y'all tomorrow at court!"

As the girls called out a goodbye, Neptune rolled his eyes at his partner's antics, following them out. "See you later." Before the door shut fully, though, he poked his head back in, looking a little nervous. "Oh, um, Weiss?"

Weiss perked up, surprised at being addressed. "Yes?"

Neptune rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, uh… I just wanted to say…" He trailed off when he noticed Yang giving him a hard look, certain that for a brief moment, her eyes had blazed red. Sweat running down his forehead, he shouted, "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable!" Then he ran out of the room like a Beowolf was after him.

Weiss blinked at the infirmary door, which Neptune had slammed shut in his mad dash away. "What was that about?"

Yang followed her gaze. "No idea," she said, smirking slightly.

Ruby looked between the two, feeling about as lost as Weiss looked. Her eyes stopped on Weiss, drifting down to the heiress' hands. She held up her own, a curious look on her face as she flexed it, the earlier conversation playing back in her head.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud growl. Yang and Weiss jumped at the sound, then looked down at Ruby, Weiss raising an unimpressed eyebrow, while Yang just smirked knowingly. The sniper smiled back sheepishly, her cheeks tinting as her stomach let loose another grumble.

"So… Ozpin said something about dinner?"

* * *

Blake couldn't help but fidget as she followed Professor Ozpin down the hall. While she respected the man as a Hunter and a teacher, ever since her interview with him all those months back, she'd always had a feeling of unease whenever he was around. The fact that he'd made her for a Faunus, possibly even a White Fang member, within minutes of meeting her always made her wonder just how much her headmaster saw around him.

Ozpin gave her no mind, leading Blake to the elevators. Rather than hit the up button, he waved his scroll in front of a small lens beside the doors. A small chime sounded, and the elevator doors opened. Blake followed him inside, and the doors slid shut without him hitting a button, the elevator slowly rising.

Awkward silence fell. At least, it was awkward for Blake. Ozpin just grinned, humming along with a little tune coming from the elevator speakers.

Blake resigned herself to the silence, focusing instead on what she and her Mates were going to say tomorrow. Try as she might come up with a way around their movements that evening, she kept coming up blank. Ozpin's comment had made it clear he knew they had fought the Paladin. If it had just been the four of them, maybe they could pass it off as just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but with having roped in Sun and Neptune, and later Penny, the chances of Ozpin believing that were slim.

The terrifying part was, Blake had already thought of the obvious answer: tell the truth. Tell him about the White Fang, her involvement, her need for fixing what she and Adam started. How she and her teammates had gone out to find information on their one lead, and gotten more than they'd bargained for in the form of a madman with a mech.

But she couldn't do that. If she told him that, there'd be questions, ones she was sure she didn't want to answer. So, no, they needed to come up with a plan, with something to-

"An eventful night, I take it?"

Blake was jolted from her thoughts by Ozpin's voice, and jumped when she found the headmaster looking down at her, eyes bright behind his spectacles. "Um… I beg your pardon… sir?"

Ozpin gave her a wry grin. "Just seeing if you were still with me, Miss Belladonna. I was afraid you may have dozed off for a moment."

Blake's ears tilted back, embarrassed. "Sorry, sir. I just have a lot on my mind at the moment."

Ozpin nodded knowingly, facing the elevator doors. "Oh, I can relate. I've been having my fair share of headaches as of late. The world seems bound and determined to complicate itself."

Blake hummed in agreement, not really having a comment for that.

Strangely, Ozpin's grin widened a little as he continued. "Still, enough good happens now and again to balance things out. In fact, that's partly why I asked you here."

Blake blinked at that, a little lost by Ozpin's random comment. "Sir?"

Ozpin glanced at her as the elevator dinged, the doors sliding open to reveal his brightly lit office. "I must apologize, Miss Belladonna, but I must admit to bringing you here under false pretenses."

As if a lightning bolt had shot up her spine, Blake stiffened, her ears pinning back in shock. Every worst-case scenario flashed through her mind, dread pooling in her stomach. Had the White Fang made some kind of move? Were she and her Mates already in some kind of trouble? Had- Blake swallowed hard as a chilling thought hit her.  _Have they found out my connection to Adam?_

Before she could lose herself to panic, Ozpin held up a hand, speaking in a strong, clear tone. "Calm yourself, Miss Belladonna. I promise you that you are in no trouble. I merely wanted to address this with you away from prying eyes and ears."

It took a moment for Blake's heart to start beating again, a strained wheeze passing her lips as she sucked in a startled breath. Relief flooded through her, her ears relaxing just a little. As her panic left her, though, confusion took its place, as she wondered what it was Ozpin wanted to discuss.

Ozpin led Blake out of the elevator, and the Faunus took a moment to take in the amazing view from outside Ozpin's window. From this high above campus, both the countryside and the city of Vale seemed to stretch on forever. With her night vision, Blake could make out every tree in the emerald forest, the lights of Vale's skyline shining like a brilliant light show. It was breathtaking.

A mere step into the room, Ozpin started explaining. "You see, Miss Belladonna, just before I went down to the infirmary, I received a video call from… a rather spectacular individual. One who I didn't think I'd ever have the pleasure of conversing with."

Blake looked at the headmaster queerly as she followed him to his desk, unsure where he was going with this.

Ozpin went on. "We spoke for a little while, exchanging pleasantries, before she explained to me her reason for calling."

Blake tilted her head slightly in thought. Clearly, whoever this person was must have something to do with her. Why else would Ozpin bother mentioning it?

"It would seem that she has been trying to reach Beacon Academy for some time now, but between the distance and a storm rolling through the area, her signal didn't reach here until today."

Ozpin rounded his desk, Blake stopping in front of it. "Okay…" Blake said warily, trying to follow along. "What did this person want?"

At that, Ozpin broke out into another wry grin. "That would perhaps best be explained by the person herself." To Blake's shock, rather than sit down in his large office chair, Ozpin took a step behind it, swiveling it to the side with an expectant look on his face.

It took Blake a moment to realize what Ozpin was getting at, her ears shooting straight up when she did. She looked between the Headmaster and the chair with wide eyes, a look of disbelief on her face. "S-sir?" she stuttered out.

Ozpin continued to smile, looking more amused as time went on. "A bit unorthodox, I'll admit. But, for tonight, I'll make an exception." He patted the chair's backrest. "Come now, I promise this will all make sense in a moment."

Blake just stared at the man, her mind going blank out of confusion. There were many things she had thought about the Headmaster doing in regards to her, from confronting her about the White Fang, to him handing her Hunter's license after surviving all four years at the Academy.

Being told to sit in his chair, _at the Headmaster's desk_ , was not one of them.

After an awkward few seconds, Blake robotically made her way around the desk. She made to sit down, casting Ozpin a worried glance, as if asking if this was really okay. From the look on his face, Blake wouldn't have put it past the headmaster to roll his eyes at her, instead giving an encouraging nod. Blake slowly sank into the leather chair, as if afraid it would explode.

As Ozpin spun the chair to face her forward, Blake got the very surreal sight of the Headmaster's office from his point of view. On the desk were several computer screens, all of them glowing a calming light blue, each one showing a screensaver of the Beacon emblem, spinning slowly in the center of the screen, save one. On the centermost screen, among the clutter-free desktop, was the familiar symbol for a video call, a simple message below it asking if she wanted to reconnect the call.

Leaning over her shoulder, Ozpin reached for the keyboard. "I believe we've kept her waiting long enough." Before Blake could protest (she had so many questions, not the least of which being,  _who is on the other end of this call?_ ), Ozpin hit a key, and a window filled up the screen, showing a woman's face.

Blake stopped breathing.

Jet black hair, cut into a short bob. Amber eyes, filled with warmth and care. Two sleek cat ears, just like hers, a few golden piercings dotting around their edges. Skin just a shade darker than her own, kissed by the tropical sun.

Every thought in Blake's head abandoned her, leaving just a feeling that she'd suddenly become ten years old again.

"Mom?"

The moment the video call opened, Kali Belladonna let out a gasp of shock, followed by a joy-filled smile. "Blake!" The older Faunus let out a deep breath, as if releasing all the tension in her body. "Oh, baby girl, it's so good to see you."

Before Blake could form a coherent thought, Ozpin lightly cleared his throat. "I believe that is my cue to leave." He placed a hand on Blake's shoulder, Blake turning stiffly to face him. He smiled down at her. 'If you need me for anything, I'll be in the next room over." As he turned to walk away, the smile left his face. "I have a call of my own to attend to," he muttered to himself, his eyes gaining a hard glint as he left the room, the door swinging shut behind him.

Blake blinked dumbly at the closed door, unable to process a word of what he said.

"Blake?" Kali called from the computer, worry in her voice. "Are you alright?"

Hearing her mother's voice jolted Blake from he stupor. She faced the screen, her heartbeat increasing when she saw her own amber eyes reflected back at her. "I… yes, I… um…" Blake floundered for a response. When none came, she just blurted out the first thing to come to mind. "W-why are you calling here?"

Kali's ears dipped slightly, a frown marring her features. "Well, hello to you, too," she said, her tone carrying more confused curiosity than actual hurt.

Blake flinched at her mother's words, berating herself. Her first conversation with her mother in forever, and that was the first thing she said? "I-I'm sorry!" Blake said, a bit louder than she'd intended, making Kali lean away from the screen a little. She winced again, forcing herself to be quieter. "Sorry, I didn't mean… I just wasn't expecting to talk to you…" she murmured, before hastily finishing, "... so soon."

All sense of curiosity had left Kali's face, leaving only motherly concern. "So soon? Sweetheart, your father and I haven't heard from you in almost a year. We were starting to worry that something had happened to you."

Blake had to fight not to flinch again, but she couldn't stop her ears from folding down. "I-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Things have been a bit… complicated over here."

Kali's worried look let up slightly, her lips curving upwards into a small, almost sly smile. "I'll bet."

Blake's mind blanked on what to say next, the blood rushing in her ears being very distracting. Taking a deep, hopefully-calming breath, she willed her heartbeat to slow. "Can… Can we start again?" she asked softly. Praying that she could speak without stuttering, Blake tried to put on a smile of her own. "Hi, mom."

Kali's smile widened. "Hello, sweetheart. Are you doing okay?"

"Yes, I am," Blake answered instantly.

The second the words were out of her mouth, she realized… she really was. The realization was so surprising, Blake actually had to stop for a moment and make sure what she said was true. Her smile slowly became more genuine. "Actually… I'm doing pretty good right now. I mean… things are a little…  _hectic_  right now, but… I'm happy."

Kali nodded, humming lightly in approval. "That's good to hear. Any particular reason why?"

Blake blinked. "Um…"

The smiling faces of three girls leapt to the front of her mind, each framed with white, blonde, and red-tipped black hair, respectfully.

Blake felt heat rise to her face. She was still processing that she was actually speaking to her mother.  _That_  conversation could wait for later, if at all. "Things, um… things have just been going well."  _Not a_  complete _lie,_  Blake thought to herself. Before the White Fang rallies and stolen war mechs had gotten involved, the previous week had been her best one at Beacon yet.

From the subtle narrowing of Kali's eyes, however, it seemed her mother was expecting a different answer. "Are you sure?" she asked. To Blake's shock, the corner of Kali's smile tipped a little higher, becoming a knowing grin. "Nothing…  _major_  happened lately, that might have put you in such a good mood?"

Blake had all of a second to wonder what her mother meant by that, when she saw Kali's golden eyes dart to her neck, her smile growing ever larger.

Blake's hand slapped over her Mark, hard enough to send a stinging pain up and down her neck. She was dimly aware that she couldn't feel her bow anymore, but couldn't dwell on it due to her mind seizing up in pure panic.

"I-I-I…" Blake babbled, her face ablaze as she tried to remember how to talk. This was something she had no idea how to handle. She had spent a little time over the last week thinking on how she would explain being Mated to her parents, but those were far off fantasies, in a world where Adam was defeated and the White Fang had returned to their former glory. She didn't really consider it something to worry about.

Now, as she failed to speak a coherent word, she wished she had.

Thankfully, her babbling was cut off when Kali let out a small giggle. "Blake, relax. I'm not angry. That's why I've been trying to reach Beacon; I wanted to congratulate you."

Blake stopped, her mouth still partway open in surprise. She had a brief feeling of relief at her mother's words, before her mind latched onto something. "Congratulate…?" she murmured to herself in confusion. A ball of cold dread formed in her stomach as a thought hit her. "Wait, Mom, did… did you already know I was Mated?"

Kali's ears perked up at that, a bemused look crossing her face. She let out a small chuckle. "Of course I knew, sweetheart. Why wouldn't I?"

Blake's eyes widened in disbelief. "H-how? Did someone tell you?" Even as the words left her mouth, she knew they didn't make sense. Ozpin had said she'd been trying to reach Beacon all week, and that was-

Blake swallowed.

 _...when I first gave them the initial Marks._  Her mother had known since then?  _How_  had her mother known since then?!

Her widened eyes were reflected by her mother's, the older Faunus leaning back in bafflement. "Tell me? Blake, no one had to tell me, I just…" She trailed off, a look of realization slowly overtaking her features, her ears pinning back in distress as she saw the growing look of confusion on her daughter's face. When she spoke, her voice was faint. "You… you really don't know?"

Letting her hand fall from her neck, Blake's ears folded back in worry. "Know… what?"

Kali sucked in a sharp breath, as if Blake's words had been a physical blow. "But… how could you not know?" Her voice rose as her distress grew with each word. "It's one of the most basic parts of…" Her pupils shrank as a thought hit her, looking at Blake with dread. "Blake… who taught you about how Mating worked?"

Blake stiffened, before looking off to the side. Her mother didn't know it, but Blake knew that was a loaded question, one that would likely lead to more unpleasant ones. Rubbing the back of her neck nervously, Blake admitted, "No one really taught me. I just kind of… pieced things together myself after a while."

Kali looked like she'd been slapped. "What? I know your father and I didn't get to explain much before you left, but I assumed… I thought for sure someone would have told you the details, at least before you left for Beacon. Didn't Adam-"

Blake flinched hard at her former friend's name, which her mother didn't miss.

"-or one of the older members… Blake?" Kali called in concern, watching as her daughter ducked her head, almost in shame. "Sweetheart, are you okay?"

The only reason Blake didn't shout a panicked lie was because of how hard she was biting her lip. She berated herself for the slip-up, but she couldn't help it. The way Kali said Adam's name, like he was a friend, a mentor, someone to trust… just the thought made her stomach churn.

 _Don't ask,_  Blake thought desperately, hoping beyond hope that her mother would just let it drop.  _Please don't ask. Please._

"...Blake?" Kali's voice came through the screen hesitantly, as if she was afraid of what her daughter might say. "Did something happen between you and Adam?"

Blake's shoulders hunched, and she squeezed her eyes shut.

She couldn't do this. She couldn't tell her mother about Adam or the White Fang, not right now. Not when she and her team had barely started looking into them. If her parents found out about what she'd done, while the White Fang was still in the twisted state Adam had made it… if they hated her…

Blake felt an overwhelming urge to just turn off the computer, to leave the conversation.

To run away.

Blake balled her hands into fists, her dull nails digging into her palms.

 _No. No, I said I was done with running,_  she thought with conviction, which died almost immediately.  _...but what do I say? If I tell her about the White Fang… How I ruined all Dad's work, I don't… I can't…_

**Calm.**

Blake's eyes shot open, a warm feeling washing over her, quickly followed by icy cold and an electric tingle.

**Worry. Fright. Concern. Calm. Comfort.**

Blake took a deep breath, letting her Mates' emotions wrap around her. She wondered what her team thought was happening to her. She felt no panic from any of them, so they probably didn't think she was in danger, but her distress had been enough to worry them.

She sent back a quick feeling of thankfulness. If nothing else, they'd kept her from going into a full blown panic attack. Her mind a little clearer, Blake thought desperately on how to answer her mother, to convince her that everything was fine. If she could make her believe there was nothing wrong, it would buy Blake time to… to…

 _To what?_  Blake thought in despair, feeling like her insides were twisting into a knot.  _Defeat Adam? Take down the entire White Fang, change them all back to how things used to be? That's so far away, I… I don't even know if I can do it._

She felt something inside her crack at the thought. She looked up at the screen, seeing her mother looking back, lost and concerned.

_I don't want to lie to her._

As the words crossed her mind, Blake's heart skipped a beat.

Lying wasn't new to her. She'd lied many times in the White Fang. She'd lied to her headmaster, to the entire student body. She'd lied to her team, those she'd considered her most precious people, for months, letting them think she was something she wasn't.

But now… with those warm amber eyes staring at her, so worried, almost helpless; the thought of lying to her mother, especially over something so important, seemed impossible. Something shattered inside her just thinking about it.

Blake took a moment, steeling herself. The more she thought about telling her mother, the more the idea burned inside her, begging her to do it. But something stopped her: before she did this… completely upended her mother's world… she needed to know something. To hear her mother say something, just once.

With a pleading look in her eyes, Blake asked,

"Mom? You love me, right?"

Kali was taken aback, her ears standing up in shock. "What? Blake, what kind of question is that? Of course I love you."

But Blake just pursed her lips, looking even more distressed. "Even… even if I did something bad?"

Kali blinked, her face going slack as Blake's words sank in. "Blake…?"

Blake swallowed down the lump in her throat, taking a shuddering breath. "Like, really bad? L-like… 'I might have ruined everything' bad?" Much as she tried to hold them back, tears started to trail down Blake's face. "Would you still love me then?"

Kali stared into Blake's tear-filled eyes, her mouth having dropped partway open in shock. Then she snapped it shut, her eyes gaining a hard edge to them. "Blake, you are my daughter. You are my entire world." She put a hand over her heart, her eyes softening. "It doesn't matter what you did or what you may do. I'll always love you, no matter what."

Blake was breathing deeply at this point, looking at her mother with hope in her eyes. She swallowed again, looking down. She took a deep, shuddering breath, and let it out slowly. She pursed her lips, like simply speaking had become painful. She slowly looked up, forcing herself to meet her mother's eyes. "I did something bad, Mom."

Kali just nodded again. "I'm listening, Blake," she said, in a tone that promised nothing but support.

Blake hesitated, eyes darting away for a moment. "It's… kind of a long story."

Kali gave a patient smile. "I have time."

Blake stared at her for a moment, before looking down with a nod. She took a deep breath, and began. "I guess… It all started two years ago, at this protest near the SDC Vale headquarters…"


	11. A Mother's Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betaed by Ril_Locke [(Covert Weapon)](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/926755/Covert-Weapon)
> 
> [LiLaL'S TV Tropes Page](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/LinkedInLifeAndLove)
> 
> [Cross-posted on FF.net](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11689623/34/Linked-in-Life-and-Love)

 

**Beacon Academy**

To the world at large, Professor Ozpin was a bit of an enigma. While friendly, he always had an air about him. A certain… aloofness. As if he had some understanding of the world that no one else could fathom. He was always calm and collected, the most negative emotion he showed being a grim look of disappointment. Even among the harshest of criticisms, he never once showed anger. After almost two decades of being Headmaster, some believed him incapable of the emotion.

Only those closest to him knew differently. It wasn't that Ozpin couldn't feel anger, it just took something truly abhorrent to bring it about. And even then, only amongst those he trusted would he show it.

Unfortunately for him, James Ironwood was one of those people.

As Ozpin paced around his living quarters, a small pair of rooms resembling a simple apartment, he held his scroll in a vice-like grip. The only thing betraying his impassive expression was the raging fire in his eyes. He took a deep breath, trying to will away the anger building inside him. With a single tap on his scroll, he made the call.

The scroll rang twice, when a surprised voice came from the other end. "Oz?" Ironwood asked. "I didn't think you were speaking to me. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

The near hopeful tone in the General's voice lessened Ozpin's anger, if only for a moment. It quickly returned when he remembered what needed to be discussed. "I assure you, General, this is a call I didn't want to make, nor should I have ever had to." His voice was eerily calm, but strained. "James, what the hell have you done?"

"E-excuse me?" Ironwood asked, genuinely confused.

With a tone not unlike a teacher reprimanding a misbehaving student, Ozpin tersely explained. "Not a half-hour ago, a student from Atlas Academy was brought to the infirmary by two Haven students, and later joined by my own Team RWBY. They all had minor injuries, with the exception of Miss Rose's broken leg, and the Atlas student being unconscious."

"Okay…?" Ironwood said. "Sounds like an interschool spar that got out of hand. Why do you sound like you're about to rip my head off?"

With another calming breath, Ozpin explained. "Well, for starters, there was no spar, I assume you heard about the highway disturbance downtown this evening?"

Ironwood's voice hardened in an instant. "Yes, I did. One of my students was involved?"

"In a manner of speaking. I'll spare you the details for the moment, just that all the students involved retreated to Beacon's infirmary afterward. Why I'm calling has to do with what was discovered when a nurse examined your student."

There was a moment of silence from the other end of the scroll, and Ozpin felt a bit of grim satisfaction. Despite Ozpin's suspicions that he already knew the answer, Ironwood asked in a tight voice, "Oz, which of my students is it?"

Ozpin's tone was disturbingly calm. "I believe the other students said her name was Penny. I repeat, James:  _what have you done_?"

Ironwood fell silent for a moment. When he spoke, it was clear that Ozpin was speaking, not to his friend James, but to General Ironwood. "I did what I felt was right."

Ozpin looked at his scroll in disbelief, some of his anger starting to bleed through. "'What was right?' Are you joking? James, we decided against this for a reason."

"No, Oz,  _you_  decided against this, and just expected the rest of us to agree." Ironwood fired back, voicing his own frustrations. "I felt the project had merit."

"Merit, yes," Ozpin agree begrudgingly. "It had potential, but the moral implications, the risks-"

"-Have been seen to," Ironwood cut in. "Penny has gone through extensive testing. She's been trained by my own second-in-command, someone I know you trust."

"It's not a matter of trust, James!" Ozpin nearly yelled, just catching himself. He paused, forcing himself to calm, lest he interrupt the conversation in the next room. Closing his eyes, he sighed. "What exactly was your plan? Tell me after Penny tore through every competitor in the festival? Sneak down to Amber's chamber when I wasn't looking?"

There was a pause, giving Ozpin the feeling he'd been right on the money. "I had to do  _something_ , Oz." Ironwood eventually said. "You've been dragging your feet for years in finding a new Maiden. I found a solution."

Ozpin let out a frustrated groan. "I have not been dragging my feet, James. I've been searching for the right candidate. We can't rush it."

"How is using Penny any different than you pulling some random girl off the street?"

"The difference is  _choice_ , James. We need someone who is willing to accept Amber's powers and responsibility, even knowing the risks. Whoever we pick, it has to be her choice."

" _We may not have time for choice!_ "

Ozpin actually flinched at Ironwood's intensity. The General's words were shouted in desperation, almost pleading. It was enough to give Ozpin pause. After a moment's thought, he asked calmly, "What makes you say that, James?"

He listened to Ironwood taking deep, ragged breaths, likely trying to rein in his own temper. Once he was calm, he started. "They're moving, Oz. Not just the White Fang. Both in and out of Vale, we've seen supplies being moved all over, and the Grimm… they're acting strangely. I didn't bring my army to Vale for nothing, Oz. Something big is about to happen, and when it does, I don't want the Fall Maiden's power to be a sitting duck." He paused, then asked, "What if you run out of time, Oz? What are you going to do?"

Ozpin opened his mouth to reply, but then… stopped. As much as it pained him… he had no answer.

The room fell silent, both men waiting for the other to speak. It was Ironwood who broke the silence.

"Look, Oz… I'll call my second, have her here in Vale by tomorrow morning. How about we come to collect Penny, and then… we discuss this. I'll give you everything I have on Penny. You can go over it all, ask us whatever you want, and then you can decide if she'd work as one of your candidates."

Ozpin considered his words. "What of Penny herself? Does she get a say in this? Can she say 'no' if she wants?" When his only answer was silence, he huffed. "Maybe you should consider that yourself, James." He hesitated, then sighed in resignation. "Be here at nine-thirty tomorrow."

"I'll be there." Ironwood's voice came out oddly, like he'd been startled from his thoughts. "Goodnight, Oz."

"Goodnight." The line went dead.

Ozpin stood there for a minute, mulling over Ironwood's words. With a groan, he made his way to the kitchen, towards the coffee pot. He wouldn't be sleeping anytime soon now.

Coffee cup in hand, Ozpin made his way back into his sitting room. As he tapped his scroll to call Glynda, he glanced towards the door to his office. Hopefully, his student's conversation was going better than his own had.

* * *

**Menagerie, Belladonna Residence**

There were no words to describe the sickening horror Kali felt deep in her soul as she listened to her daughter's retelling of the last year. Once Blake got started, it was like a broken dam, tales of Adam and what the White Fang had done came flooding out of her, with no end in sight. And as she watched Blake's face throughout it all, Kali felt a part of her dying with every tear that fell from her daughter's eyes.

Blake left nothing out. From the first protest that Adam purposefully turned into a riot, she explained how the White Fang had gone from the peaceful organization her husband had proudly built with his own two hands, into a pack of thieves and possible killers. Rioting, extortion, thievery on a massive scale; all manner of criminal action, all under the banner of freedom.

But for Kali, the worst part was hearing, from Blake's own mouth, how involved her baby girl was in it all. Training new recruits how to fight, how to sneak and steal. Standing at Adam's side during rallies, shouting support of his every word. Being the lookout, the distraction, the leader for dozens of crimes.

Throughout it all, Blake spoke in the same shaky, resigned voice. It was a tone Kali was familiar with, having heard it many times before from sitting in on Ghira's trials, from criminals that had been caught red-handed and had no choice but to confess their crimes. The only time her tone changed was when she spoke of Adam, her words either filling with regretful sorrow, or bitter anger.

And Kali listened to it, trying to keep the shock and terror from bleeding onto her face as her daughter poured her very soul out. And the entire time, she felt a burning, roaring rage building inside her every time Blake said a single name.

Adam.

Kali felt sick. She remembered Adam from when he was a boy, running around town with a wooden play sword, taking swipes at imaginary Grimm. She'd watched that boy grow into a young man, become a source of town pride as his sword skills increased. For a long time, he was Blake's only friend. He'd been invited into their house multiple times, had dinner with them weekly. Kali and Ghira had treated him like family, like a son.

They trusted him. With the White Fang, but more importantly, with their daughter's life.

And he'd used her.

Multiple times, Kali wanted to stop Blake, either for clarification or just so she could process something, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. As horrible things spilled from Blake's mouth, one after another, the shaking in her voice slowly started to fade, replaced with grim determination. It was taking so much for her little girl to keep talking, Kali was afraid to speak, fearing that if she stopped Blake, she wouldn't be able to bring herself to start again.

It went on, Blake describing Adam's rapid descent from a noble activist to a power-hungry extremist. She covered raids, recruitments, riots, and more, all culminating with the theft of an SDC supply train.

_He tried to Mate with my daughter._

Whatever shred of hope Kali held for Adam throughout Blake's retellings died in that instant. Before she'd run off to Vale, Kali had noticed Blakes' crush on Adam, even before Blake herself had. But she'd thought nothing of it, attributing it as nothing more than a schoolyard crush, something Blake would grow out of. That hadn't stopped Ghira from taking matters into his own hands, taking Adam aside one day, letting him know  _exactly_  how Ghira felt on the subject; how he was too old for her, to not let her believe something that wasn't there, to watch out for their daughter, so no one would take advantage of her.

He'd assured them that he felt nothing for her but friendship. He swore he would protect their daughter. He promised.

_He lied._

Several times throughout Blake's story, Kali had to pry her hands off her husband's desk, slivers of oak embedded under her nails. Deep gouges were in the wood, the result of her trying to ball up her hands at the same time her cat's claws extended.

After what felt like hours, Blake started to wind down. "... I just kept circling around the city, avoiding anything that even looked like it might be White Fang related, until his Mark burned itself out. And… that's when I called you," Blake finally finished, her voice drained. "I needed a way to learn more, so I could stop Adam. Beacon seemed like my best option. I scraped together what money I could, applied for entry, and… that's it."

Blake looked down as she finished, and a silence like no other settled around them. Kali sat in her husband's study, staring at his computer monitor with wide eyes. Her thoughts were a tangled mess, unable to believe that the little girl who would hold her hand on market trips had been through an ordeal people twice her age couldn't even imagine. Her eyes drifted upwards, staring at nothing as she tried to process everything.

"...Mom?" A small voice came through the computer's speakers. Kali looked back at the screen, and her heart broke as Blake stared back, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Mom, please say something," she begged, her voice tight and desperate.

Kali's ears folded down, a guilty look flashing across her face. Her mouth opened to speak, twice, but no words came out. She worked her jaw, trying to say something, anything, but she just couldn't. With a heavy sigh, Kali leaned back in her husband's chair, feeling like someone had ripped her soul out. She rubbed at her temples, trying to ward off the coming headache. "Sweetheart…" she finally managed to say, feeling no less lost. "Oh, Blake… what do I even say?"

Blake broke her gaze, looking down in shame. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Mom. I just… I just wanted to help. I thought we were doing the right thing, and Adam made it sound like… I should have known, should have stopped him before-"

"Blake, stop." Kali held up her hand, as if warding off Blake's panicked explanations before she could start. "I just…" She shook her head, looking down in despair. "I just can't believe this. Adam seemed like such a nice boy. I never could have imagined he could… for him to…"

"He was nice, Mom," Blake murmured, guilt in her every word. "A long time ago, something inside him… changed."

Kali's eyes blazed as she turned back to the screen. "That's no excuse. We trusted him to keep you safe and he…" Kali cut herself off before she could finish. She could feel it building, an onslaught of rage on the tip of her tongue, ready to spill out, but Blake deserved none of it. Kali took several long, slow breaths, forcing her anger out with each one. Her ears fell against her head, the lack of righteous anger leaving her drained. Mustering up the effort, she muttered, "Your father's going to be furious."

Blake winced, shame flashed across her face. This was not lost on Kali, who narrowed her eyes. She could guess at Blake's discomfort. "Blake," she started quietly, keeping her voice level. "You know I have to tell him."

A scared whimper escaped Blake's lips, a light mewing sound that Kali hadn't heard from her since she was a child. "I know," she murmured brokenly.

Kali watched as her daughter shrank in on herself, hugging herself tightly. Somehow, mentioning Ghira had made Blake worried and… frightened? "Blake? Sweetheart, what is it?"

It took everything Blake had to meet her mother's gaze. With a shaky breath, she asked, "Is he going to hate me?"

Kali felt her battered heart shatter, her mouth falling open as her ears flattened.  _Blake thinks…? She thinks her own father will…?_

Kali tried to respond, but Blake steamrolled right over her, dropping her eyes as she fell to her fear. "Adam and I… we ruined everything. The White Fang, our progress… everything Dad worked towards… it's all gone. I could have stopped it, but I didn't. I helped make things worse…"

That was all Kali could take. With every word Blake said, she could see the weight of the world beating down on her daughter's shoulders. Her baby was being crushed by her own guilt, and Kali acted without thinking.

As Blake continued heaping more and more blame upon herself, Kali closed her eyes. What she was about to try was normally impossible, but with having Blake's face right in front of her, her voice ringing in her ears, Kali felt like it was the simplest thing. She flared her aura, focusing on Blake's voice.

* * *

**Beacon Academy**

"I wouldn't blame him if he did. Sometimes I hate my-"

Blake stopped mid-word, her eyes widening in shock.

_Calm. Sadness. Heartbreak. Sympathy. Reassurance. Love._

She… felt something. For a moment, she thought one of her Mates was reaching out for her, but this was different. It wasn't like when their emotions came to her. It felt like they were coming… from within her.

Blake looked up at the screen, her mouth hanging open in disbelief. "Mom?" she called breathlessly.

Kali slowly opened her eyes, a soft smile on her lips. The phantom feelings Blake felt lessened, but only slightly. "I'm here, Blake." There was a sense of double meaning in her voice that Blake couldn't quite grasp.

"H-how…?"

Kali's smile widened a bit, growing sly. "I'll explain in a moment. But first, I need to tell you something." Her lips fell into a grim line.

Blake's ears pinned back. Icy dread filled her veins as she prepared herself for her mother's harsh words. "W-what?"

Kali leaned forward, so her face filled the whole screen. "Blake, I have only one thing to say to you." Her golden eyes bored into Blake's, making the younger Faunus cringe a bit. Kali took a deep breath, letting out slowly through her nose.

"This is not your fault."

For a few moments, the only sound in the room was the soft hum coming from Professor Ozpin's computers.

Blake stared at the screen, her ears twitching violently. She blinked rapidly, suddenly feeling lightheaded. "Wha...what?" she breathed, sure she had misheard.

Kali just leaned in further, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Blake, if there is only one thing you ever believe from me, let it be this: None of this is your fault."

Blake stared at her as if she'd spoken another language. She worked her mouth uselessly, struggling to form words. "You… I… but, wha… No!" Her ears splayed back, her eyes wide. "I… I ruined Dad's work! I wrecked-"

"Blake Belladonna, you listen to me."

Blake's mouth snapped shut as she flinched.  _That_ was a tone of voice she hadn't heard in years, not directed at her, at least. Kali stared at her daughter with a look that could only be described as a mother's glare. When she spoke, it was with a finality that the world itself would hesitate to challenge.

" _This is not your fault._  Yes, you've broken laws. You contributed to…" Kali took a shuddering breath, forcing the words out. "Something horrible. But I do. Not. Blame you."

Blake could only stare, her jaw still trembling to say words her mind was unable to create. She just looked at her mother with wide eyes, with an awe that was almost childlike.

"You followed someone you thought you could trust. Someone your father and I  _told_  you to trust. The moment you realized what was wrong, you got out of there. Better yet, you took steps to atone for your mistakes, of your own volition. That is far beyond what many would do." Kali's grim visage softened, a sad smile forming. "You did everything right. If anyone's to blame, it's your father and I."

At that, Blake finally found her words. Her ears stood on end, her eyes bulging in disbelief. "What?! Mom, no, that's-!"

"Yes, Blake," Kali countered forcefully, cutting Blake off. "It is. We told you to trust Adam." Her voice lowered as she said the name, holding back a growl. "We thought he was trustworthy. We put you in his care. We believed him when he said he'd take care of you. He-"

Kali had to stop herself, or else her voice would push over into screaming. She closed her slitted eyes, taking long, deep breaths. Blake looked on, concern and confusion in her eyes.

Once her breathing evened out, Kali opened her eyes. Blake nearly flinched back under her gaze, never having seen such intensity in her mother's eyes, burning like twin suns. "Here's what we're going to do," she said, in a tone that left no room for argument. "I'm going to discuss this with your father. I'm going to tell him everything you've told me. We'll find out who we can trust, and then we'll work on finding a way to solve this." Kali gave Blake a soft, motherly smile, one that promised unending support. "You're not alone in this, sweetheart."

Blake couldn't think. She felt like the floor had been ripped out from under her, and she was left hanging in the air, to be blown away in the wind at any moment. "Y-you don't hate me?" she murmured, her voice hopeful, yet still full of doubt.

Kali let out a helpless sigh, lifting a hand as if to reach through the computer screen and cup her daughter's cheek. Blake sounded so small, so broken. All Kali could do was focus, and speak from her heart. "No, Blake. Nothing could  _ever_  make me hate you."

Again, Blake took a shuddering, startled breath as new feelings rose to the surface, as if coming from her own heart.

_Reassurance. Resolution. Love._

"A-and… and Dad?" she asked, the hope in her voice growing.

Kali just shook her head, smiling softly. "Never in a million years. I swear it."

Blake stared at her mother, unable to see, or apparently, sense, any kind of lie or falsehood in her mother's words. In Kali's eyes, she found nothing but warmth and love.

She took a deep breath.

Then another.

Before she could stop them, large, wide tears started rolling down Blake's cheeks. Her breathing devolved into heaving sobs. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, closing her eyes shut to try and stop the flow of tears, but to no avail. The Link suddenly flared to life, bombarding her with warmth, cool, lingering feelings of concern and comfort. And on top of the emotions from her Mates several floors below, the strange, warm emotions from within her kept coming, leaving her between a flood of emotions.

"That's it, sweetheart," Kali soothed, her eyes having slit shut again. "Just let it all out."

And Blake did just that.

* * *

It took Blake almost ten minutes to bring her tears to an end. Her sobs slowly eased into small whimpers, her breaths becoming less shaky. She wiped at her cheeks with the sleeve of her jacket.

"Feeling better, baby girl?" Kali asked, smiling sadly from the monitor.

Blake sniffed, wiping at her nose. She managed a weak smile as she looked up. "Y-yeah… a little." A wave of relief washed over her, again, not from the Link with her Mates. As she tried to slow her breathing, Blake couldn't help but ask. "Mom, how… are these your emotions I'm feeling?"

Kali's smile faded a bit as she nodded. "Yes, they are, sweetheart."

"But… how? I thought that only Mates could sense each other's emotions?"

Kali let out a deep sigh. "That's true, for the most part." She growled to herself. "You should have been taught this…  _I_  should have taught you this years ago. Blake, you at least know that you can sense your Mate's emotions through your aura, right?"

Blake nodded, brushing away the last of her tears.

"Well, where did your aura come from?"

Blake blinked at that. She thought back to her classes and her reading, trying to remember if that had been covered in the past months. Her eyes slowly widened. "From… you and Dad."

Kali smiled gently. "That's right. Now, your aura has grown. It's changed and shifted over the years, just as you have. But it still has that spark, the same one it had when I held you in my arms for the first time."

"And… you can feel my emotions through that spark?" Blake asked, her face going slack in shock. "All the way from Menagerie?"

Kali made a contemplating hum at the back of her throat. "Not exactly. I could only do it this time because I can see you right now. If I tried it just out of the blue, I doubt I could, not from halfway across the world."

Blake nodded absently. "But, if we were near each other?"

"I could, but not like you're thinking." At Blake's confused look, Kali explained. "With your Mates, you can feel their emotions all the time, right? Well, unlike with Mates, the bond between parent and child is voluntary, and can be blocked by either party at any time."

Blake's eyes widened in surprise. "I never knew that."

Kali let out a sad sigh, sympathy and guilt in her eyes. "I'm afraid there may be a lot you don't know." She took a deep breath, smiling motherly. "Now… I think that's enough of this…  _horribleness_  for one night. Let's get to why I called in the first place."

Blake blinked at the subject change, then blushed when she saw her mother's smile grow. She looked away from the screen, ducking her head shyly.

Kali couldn't help but laugh at her daughter's reaction. "Oh, sweetheart, don't be embarrassed! This is a good thing! I've been wanting to talk to you about this all week."

That reminded Blake of something. "I wanted to ask about that. We only became true Mates yesterday. Why were you trying to reach me a week ago?"

Kali hesitated, then sighed in resignation. "Something else you should already know… well, Blake, the reason I've been trying to call you was because of this."

Blake watched as Kali turned her head, craning her neck so Blake could see the intricate design on it: a wide silver shield with a black center, flowing lines of gold weaving through its form. At its center sat a golden five-petaled flower.

"Your Mark?" Blake questioned.

Kali grinned, facing forward. "When a Faunus connects their soul to another person, anyone with a Mark in their family will feel it. A week ago, your father and I were sitting down for breakfast, when our Marks started to warm. I was hoping to speak with you about it before now, but we've been getting bad storms here all week. Today was the first time I've seen the sun in days."

"Oh," Blake breathed in awe. Then a ball of ice formed in her stomach, a sickening thought hitting her. "Wait. If you can feel when I Mate someone, what about… Adam?"

In an instant, Kali's eyes hardened. "Yes, Blake, we felt it then, too. I wanted to call you, but we'd just had a pack of Deathstalkers rampage through town the day before. They destroyed most of the buildings on the east end, including the communications tower."

Blake winced at that. Menagerie was a beautiful country, but it housed some of Remnant's deadliest Grimm, with more species growing larger than anywhere else in the world. Deathstalkers were some of the most common, but only attacked populated areas when in large numbers. "Why didn't you say something when I called?" she couldn't help but ask.

Kali's shoulders slumped, her ears wilting. "I wanted to, but… when you called and I saw how you didn't have a Mark, we thought your Mating just hadn't gone well, and you left the White Fang to get away from whoever it was. When you called, you were trying so hard to sound normal. I knew something was wrong, but I didn't want to push. I thought you were just dealing with a broken heart."

Despite the pain in her chest at the memory, Blake snorted lightly. "Well… you weren't exactly wrong…"

Kali shot her a reprimanding look, finding no humor in the situation. "Yes, well… that's partly why I wanted to speak to you. I was worried when you gave someone else a Mark so soon after rejecting one." Her smile came back in full force. "But then I felt you finalize the Mark. I just had to know who it was that fell for my little girl."

The joy in her mother's voice made Blake smile, only to have it fall in dread. She wasn't prepared for this. Her Mating was about as unconventional as possible, from how it started to who and what her Mates were. She had no idea how her mother would react to the nature of her relationship.

Kali noticed Blake's uncertainty. "What now, Blake?"

Blake hesitated, biting her lip. "Nothing, I just… I'm not sure if you'd approve of who my Mates are."

Kali blinked, surprise in her eyes. "Mates? Plural?"

Blake flinched, berating herself. She hadn't meant to say that. "Is that… bad?"

The surprise faded quickly, Kali shaking her head slightly. "No! No, no, there's nothing wrong with it, Sweetheart, I just wasn't expecting that. There's never been a group Mating in our family before, at least not on my side. I'll have to ask your father about his later." She smiled brightly, excitement dancing in her eyes. "Well, tell me about them! Who are they?"

Again, Blake bit her lip, trying to think of how best to approach this. "Well… they're not the most… conventional choices for Mates."

At that, Kali slumped a little in her chair. Though she tried to hide it, a bit of exasperation slipped into her tone. "Blake, at this point, I'd be surprised if they were." She let out a sigh, straightening up as she looked Blake in the eye. "Tell me something: are they good people?"

"Yes," Blake answered instantly, not even having to think about it.

"Do you all love each other?"

"Yes."

"Do they make you happy?'

"Yes."

Kali gained the largest smile she'd had since their talk started. "Then, whoever they are,  _whatever_  they are, I'm sure I'll love them. Now, stop leaving your poor mother in suspense," she teased, in a mocking version of her motherly tone. "Out with it."

Blake gave a small giggle, feeling her tension ease slightly. "Okay, um… well, there's three of them," she started, testing the waters. "And they're all female."

Kali's eyebrows rose a little, but she made no comment. She nodded encouragingly, waiting for Blake to go on.

Blake took a breath, knowing her mother would find something odd with her next words. "...and… they're all human."

At that, Kali's face went a little slack as she blinked rapidly. "O-okay…" she droned uncertainly.

Blake's ears wilted a bit in apprehension. "You… don't approve?"

Kali opened her mouth once, then closed it with a small hum, looking thoughtful. "It's not that I don't approve, sweetheart," she soon assured. "I'm just confused. If they're all human, how could they give you a Mark?"

Blake let out a sigh of relief. She knew her mother wasn't a very prejudicial person, but she had still worried about how she'd react to none of her potential daughters-in-law being Faunus. "I told my Mates that, with them being human, my connection to them would be weakened. They… didn't think that was fair." She smiled at the memory, remembering how she felt when Weiss pulled out that book. "One of them did some research, and found a way to repurpose my old Mark from Adam into a new one using their aura."

Kali's eyes widened in awe. "And it worked? Blake, that's incredible! I've never heard of such a thing. Your Mate must be rather resourceful to think of such an idea."

Blake blushed a little, smiling with pride at her mother complimenting Weiss. "Yeah, she's pretty smart. Top of our year, actually."

Kali's cat ears perked up, having finally heard an actual detail about her daughter's new loves. "Is she? That's impressive. Come now, Blake, please stop being vague. Tell me about these girls. What makes them special to you?"

Blake took a moment, thinking of how best to describe her Mates. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach at how she'd explain her affection to a certain white-haired heiress, but she pushed it aside. She'd have to deal with it soon enough, but first…

"Well, funnily enough, all three of them are members of our team here at Beacon. First, there's Ruby, our team leader. She's a couple years younger than me, but she's one of the most talented people here. She has so much energy, it feels like the world brightens a bit just because she's in the room. She's always smiling, always willing to help; even before I thought about us being Mates, just being near her put me in a good mood. She's… so understanding. She doesn't care about who or what someone is. She just wants to make everyone happy."

Kali beamed at Blake's tone. A soft smile had formed on Blake's lips as she spoke, one that spoke volumes about how she felt for this girl.

"Then there's Yang, Ruby's sister."

It took a moment for what Blake said to really sink in. Kali's eyes suddenly widened, her ears shooting straight up. "Um, Blake? If they're sisters, did they-?"

"They have a sibling's pact!" Blake shouted, throwing her hands up in defense as her cheeks tinted. "I knew that much!"

Kali let out a deep breath, her ears sagging in relief. "Oh, thank the gods. Otherwise, we'd be having a  _very_  different talk right now."

Blake let out an awkward laugh, beating down her blush. "Yeah, it was an… interesting conversation when I explained the concept to them." She cleared her throat slightly. "Anyways… Yang is Ruby's older sister, and my team partner. She's… I guess the best word is boisterous. She always tries to liven things up, making jokes or dragging me and… my other Mate off to do something she thinks we'll enjoy. She's almost as energetic as Ruby, except she has a bit of a joking side when she shows it."

Kali hummed at that. "She sounds like the life of the party."

Blake nodded slightly, the same soft smile sliding into place. "Yeah, but… she has a softer side to her, too. I love them all, but Yang was the first one that gave me the feeling that, no matter what happened, she'd support me through anything. She… helped me learn to trust again."

Kali's ears dipped a little. The fact that Blake had to relearn how to trust made her soul ache, as well as add fuel to the fury burning inside her towards Adam Taurus. Still, her heart warmed that Blake had found someone truly loyal. "They both sound lovely. What about your third Mate? What's she like?"

"Um…" Blake hesitated, unsure how to proceed. "She's… um…"

"What?" Kali frowned in concern. "Is there something wrong with your Mate?"

"No, nothing's wrong with her," Blake quickly assured. "I'm just a little worried about how you'll react to who she is."

Kali lifted her head a bit, perplexed. "Blake, what do you mean by that? I told you I'd love whoever she is."

"I know," Blake agreed, apprehension still clear on her face. "But…" She sighed, aggravated with herself. "She might be pushing the limit on that."

Kali frowned deeply, her confusion growing. "Blake, please. Stop acting like you already know how I'll react. Let me decide if I like your Mate or not. Now, will you tell me who she is?"

Blake bit her lip, her eyes darting down for a moment. "It… might be easier to show you… Mom, can you see my Mark?"

Kali blinked at the change of subject. "Um… not fully. It's a bit far on your neck for me to see."

Blake let out a breath. "Well, take a look at it. It'll probably explain things better than I can." She then turned her head to the right, showing the side of her neck.

Kali had no idea where Blake was going with this, but she leaned towards the screen eagerly. She'd been curious about it since she'd first called.

The first thing she noticed was how colorful it was. All four colors were bright and vibrant, showing beautifully against Blake's skin. She took note of her daughter's flower symbol at the center, connected to each symbol by lines of color. A bright red rose, sitting beside an odd yellow symbol. A flame, maybe? And at the very top of it, a blue…

…

Kali blinked.

…

She blinked again. Rapidly.

"...Blake?"

Blake cringed at her mother's apprehensive tone. "Yes, Mom?"

"On your Mark... that blue… snowflake… is… is it-?"

What felt like a rock settled in Blake's stomach, a resigned sigh escaping her lips. "It's the SDC logo, Mom."

The only emotion that showed on Kali's face was pure shock. "Blake… who…?"

Blake steeled herself, turning back forward and forcing herself to hold her mother's wide eyes. "Weiss Schnee, Mom. She's Ruby's partner on my team… and she's my Mate."

Kali tried to speak once, twice, but no words came out. She eventually just sat back in her husband's chair, rubbing her temple. "Blake…" She sighed heavily. Then she leaned forward, fixing Blake with a stare that made her sit up straighter. "Start from the beginning. How did you meet her?"

* * *

Blake's retelling was mercifully short compared to the previous one. She covered her initial meeting of each of her future Mates, how they interacted in and between classes, and quickly glossed over some altercations with the White Fang at the docks. Kali would have asked for details on that, but frankly, after hearing about the torment she'd gone through the last three years, listening to Blake speak about something as normal as piles of schoolwork and long-winded teachers was a welcome change.

Through it all, Kali's heart swelled at all the little details Blake let slip, from happy conversations with Ruby, to groaning good-naturedly at Yang's bad jokes. Even before becoming Mates, it was clear to her that each of these girls had secured a place in Blake's heart. However, it was listening to Blake speak of her third Mate that brought her pause.

Weiss Schnee. The name rattled around in Kali's head, like a tumbling stone that refused to settle. If it wasn't for the name, Kali would have no issue with the girl Blake described. A strong-willed girl, from a very strict upbringing. Someone who strived to be the best at everything she did, but slowly realized that to do so, she had to accept help from those around her. Someone who, when proven wrong about something, strove to learn everything about the subject as possible, so as not to be misinformed again. Someone who accepted her daughter for what she is, despite having been raised not to.

The girl Blake described was flawed, troubled, but had an awkward sweet side and a strength all her own. She had a thirst for knowledge, and a desire to make her own conclusions. Kali would think her perfect.

If not for the name.

As Blake fell silent, Kali stared up at the ceiling, trying to sort her jumbled thoughts. Her heart was telling her to be happy; after all the pain and heartache Blake had gone through, she had managed to find three wonderful girls that seemed to love her just as much as she loved them. It was more than she could have ever hoped for. But then her mind kicked in, and all manner of troubling thoughts materialized.

From the other side of the screen, she heard Blake give a sad sigh. "Mom, are you mad? That I Mated Weiss?"

Kali let out a small huff, locking eyes with her daughter. "I'm not mad, Blake, I just… I don't really know what to think. The Schnee's aren't exactly popular here in Menagerie."

Blake folded her ears back. "I know that. I've already met someone here at Beacon who had a rather blunt opinion about Weiss and I's relationship. Though from what I've seen, it's not the whole family that's the problem." Her ears perked up a bit. "Just Weiss' father."

Kali had to bite back a growl at the man's mention. "Yes, well… I can believe  _that_ ," she admitted, folding her hands on the table. "Your father has had the  _pleasure_  of meeting him a few times over the years and… well, let's just say he had some choice words about the man that I'm not comfortable repeating."

Blake cracked a small smile at that. She remembered a few times when she was little, listening from the crack under her bedroom door when her parents thought she was asleep. She'd heard her father say many things when he came home from a bad meeting, venting to her mother as he said things that could best be described as 'colorful'. "If it helps, Weiss isn't his biggest fan either."

Kali raised an inquisitive brow. "Oh?"

Blake nodded. She hesitated for a moment, unsure how much she should tell her mother, but decided that if there was one person she, and by extension Weiss, could trust, it was Kali Belladonna. With a heavy breath, she explained. "Weiss has to watch herself whenever she speaks with him. She can't say what she wants, just what she knows he wants to hear. She… she's worried she might become just like her father." Blake shook her head, the words tasting foul on her tongue. "Mom… I think Weiss is scared of him."

Kali's eyes grew huge. Of all the things she'd expected Blake to say, that was not one of them. She'd already thought lowly of the Schnee patriarch, but if his own child was afraid of him…

Without meaning to, a low growl formed in the back of her throat. She stopped it quickly, surprised with herself. It was rare that she made that sound, usually only when she felt someone was threatening her family.

…

_Oh._

From across the screen, she saw Blake give her a startled look, a spark of hope in her eyes.

Kali heaved a great sigh. "Alright, Blake. I'll hold my judgment until I can meet her myself. But, if Weiss is anything like you've said…" She gave Blake a warm smile. "I'm sure I'll love her."

The apprehension Kali still felt melted away when she saw Blake  _beam_. "I know you will, Mom. She's amazing. They're  _all_  amazing."

Kali chuckled a bit. "Of that, I have no doubt. And I'm sure your father will agree."

"I hope so." Blake smiled, then tilted her head in thought. "Where is he, anyway?"

"Oh, he's helping organize the cleanup in one of the towns down the coast. The storm hit them harder than us here, and your father was worried the Grimm might take advantage of the confusion. He should be back sometime tomorrow."

Blake smiled, her heart swelling with familiar pride. Then she breathed in deeply. "And… when he does…?"

Kali gave a slow nod. "I'll tell him everything you told me. We'll figure this out, sweetheart." She gave a kind, yet determined smile. "I promise."

Blake smiled back. Her grin was a little fragile, but for the first time in a year, Blake felt like everything would be okay.

_Ding!_

Blake jumped slightly as an electronic chime cut through the silence. She looked over the monitor, seeing the elevator door slide open. To her surprise, Professor Goodwitch walked into the room, looking at her scroll held in one hand while she clutched a stack of paperwork against her chest with the other.

Goodwitch walked a few paces into the room without looking away from her scroll. She looked up, words half-formed on her lips, only for her mouth to click shut in surprise.

"Miss Belladonna?" she asked, her brow raising in confusion. "What are you doing here? And… why are you at the Headmaster's desk?"

Blake wilted under Goodwitch's scrutinizing gaze, her ears dipping. Despite knowing she hadn't done anything wrong, she still got a feeling of having been caught red-handed.

"Um…"

"It's my fault, Glynda."

All eyes snapped to the side of the room as Ozpin stepped through the door, a wry grin on his lips, coffee mug in hand. "I allowed her to use my personal terminal for a familial call, and it seems I lost track of time."

Blake blinked at that. She glanced down back at the monitor, catching her mother's concerned eye, then looked at the clock in the corner of the screen. It was after midnight.

"Sorry, sir," Blake apologized, pinking slightly. "I didn't realize-"

Ozpin just held up a hand. "It's quite alright. I'm sure you and your mother had much to discuss. However, I'm afraid that it is quite far past curfew."

Blake's face fell, her ears dipping in disappointment. "Yes, sir." she turned back to the screen. "Mom…"

Kali gave her a reassuring smile. "I heard. It's rather late where I am as well. Before you go, do you still have your father and I's number?"

"Um…" Blake hesitated, remembering the fried scroll in her pocket. "I think so…"

"Then I hope you'll start using it more often. Maybe even let me speak to one of these girls you're so fond of."

Blake was surprised, then a small smile slowly formed on her lips. "I'd like that."

"Then I'll talk to you soon, sweetheart. I love you."

Feeling her eyes water a bit, Blake smiled back. "I love you too, Mom."

Kali gave her one last smile, then the screen went dark.

Blake stared at the blank monitor, her own happy expression reflected back at her. She let out a shaky breath, then remembered she wasn't alone. Standing up from the chair, she sent Ozpin a smile. "Thank you, Professor."

Ozpin grinned back. "It was no problem, Miss Belladonna. I'm always happy to assist my students. Enjoy the rest of your weekend."

Recognizing the kind of dismissal for what it was, Blake went to the elevator, giving Goodwitch a respectful nod, which was returned. As the doors slid shut, she caught a brief glimpse of Ozpin taking his place behind his desk, as Goodwitch started setting down dossiers.

Once she was alone in the elevator, Blake closed her eyes, leaning against the back wall. With no distractions, she let her Mates' emotions wash over her.

_Worry. Concern. Curiosity. Confusion._

Blake tried to respond, but all she could do was repeatedly think  _I'm okay, everything's okay_ , and be completely amazed that she  _meant it_. It didn't abate her Mates' confusion, but it did calm them down.

The elevator dinged at her floor, and Blake made the trek down the darkened hallways in a daze. When she reached her dorm and opened the door, she was met with a heartwarming sight.

Yang was sitting on Blake's bunk, leaning against the wall. Weiss was laying next to her, resting her head in Yang's lap as the blonde ran her fingers through Weiss' long white hair. They had both showered and changed into their sleepwear, Yang's hair still damp. Both had worried expressions on their faces.

When the door opened, Weiss quickly sat up, turning to face it. Yang instantly jumped up, rushing to meet Blake, grasping the Faunus' upper arms.

"Blake, what the hell? Are you okay?"

Blake looked between her Mates, Yang holding her tightly, while Weiss came up behind her, the same question in her eyes. She sucked in a shuddering breath, startling her Mates with the largest smile they'd ever seen from her.

"I'm fine, Yang." Blake was aware of the slight shake in her voice, but couldn't even try to stop it. "In fact… I feel better than I have in a long time."

Surprised, Yang's grip loosened, just strong enough for her arms to hang limply from Blake's. Weiss came up and placed a hand on Blake's shoulder, looking concerned. "Are you sure? You felt…  _conflicted_  before."

"Uh, 'conflicted' nothing," Yang scoffed, ignoring Weiss' stern look for her lack of tact. "Blake, you kept bouncing between the-world-is-ending scared and… I don't even know what! Happy, sad, pissed-beyond-belief, you were kind of all over the place. Freaked us out a bit."

"A lot," Weiss corrected, shooting Blake a firm look.

Blake just smiled, appreciating their concern. "Sorry. I just… wasn't really prepared for…" She took a deep breath, steadying herself. "Professor Ozpin took me to his office because he received a call. From  _Menagerie_." The twin looks of shock she received got a watery giggle from her. "Yeah. That's about how I felt. It was my mother."

_Shock. Disbelief. Worry._

Blake nodded, acknowledging their feelings. "I… I told her everything." More shock, more worry. Blake just shook her head, feeling tears trailing down her face. "About Adam, what I did in the White Fang… Mating you three." Her breathing grew choppy. "Everything. And…"

"And…?" Yang gripped her tighter, Weiss taking a light step closer.

"...she doesn't hate me." Yang and Weiss felt their faces go slack as Blake shuddered out the words. "I-I told her e-everything, and… s-she doesn't h-hate me. She… s-she still loves me."

"Oh, Blake." Yang pulled her into a fierce hug, a relieved laugh bursting from her lips. "That's great!"

Blake just cried into her shoulder, sobs of relief and happiness racking her body. She felt Weiss circle around behind her, softly closing the forgotten door, then embracing Blake from behind. Blake could feel the relief radiating off of her, along with happiness and hope.

Blake didn't know how long they stayed like that. Eventually, Blake calmed down enough to change out of her ruined outfit and take a shower. As she watched the dirt and grime spiral down the drain, she felt exhausted from the day's events, both physically and emotionally.

When she came out of the bathroom, she found Yang and Weiss sitting back on her bed, talking quietly with each other. They both looked up at her, then nodded to each other. Weiss got up, pulling her towards the bed as Yang pressed herself as far back as she could go. Blake suddenly found herself laying on her back, squished between Yang and Weiss as they laid on each side of her. Weiss took her hand in her own, resting her head on Blake's shoulder. Yang did the same, clasping Blake's other hand, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

Just before they drifted off to sleep, they all felt a tingling sense of  _Tiredness, Curiosity, Concern, Loneliness._

Yang let out a tired chuckle. "Guess Ruby woke back up."

Blake didn't bother saying anything, closing her eyes and seeing only a dark void. She turned her head, seeing the yellow and white glow beside her, then tilted her head down. A wispy red body laid below them, one of its legs lifted slightly higher than the other. Blake met its glowing silver eyes.

 _I'm fine, Ruby,_  Blake thought, feeling a tired smile form on her lips. She imagined Ruby was right next to her, letting her cup the younger girl's cheek.  _I feel better than I have in years. Thank you for worrying._

The red figure nodded, giving off a feeling of  _Happiness, Relief, Tiredness,_  before its silver eyes drifted shut. Within seconds, its red glow dimmed.

A soft snore sounded in Blake's ear. She opened her eyes, finding that Yang and Weiss had seemed to drift off along with Ruby. Feeling a slight pressure, she looked down. She smiled. Yang and Weiss' free hands had found each other, resting on her stomach.

A deep purr started in the back of Blake's throat, filling the quiet dorm. Feeling more content than she ever had, Blake joined her Mates in sleep.


	12. Smolder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betaed by Ril_Locke [(Covert Weapon)](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/926755/Covert-Weapon)
> 
> [LiLaL'S TV Tropes Page](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/LinkedInLifeAndLove)
> 
> [Cross-posted on FF.net](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11689623/35/Linked-in-Life-and-Love)

**Chapter 35: Smoulder**

**Downtown Vale**

Far from the quiet peace of Beacon Academy, flashing lights of red and blue lit up the darkened streets of Vale. Police cars had blocked off a large section of the main freeway, only moving to let a near constant stream of ambulances pass. Destroyed vehicles of various makes and models littered the wide road, some of which were burning in the moonlight. Below the freeway, a platoon of Atlas soldiers surrounded the twisted remains of a prototype Paladin warmech, gawking at both the many modifications made to it, as well as the extensive damage it had suffered.

Even with the late hour, civilians all around the city gathered as close as they could to the carnage, trying to get an idea of exactly what had happened.

From within a rundown apartment a mile away, however, two people ignored the lights and sirens, both already knowing exactly what had happened. And one of them was suffering for it.

"Watch it, watch- oww,  _OWW!_  Dammit, I just said- gah!"

Neo rolled her eyes, ignoring Roman's moaning as she dabbed at his split scalp with an alcohol soaked cloth.

Roman groaned, his eyes darting around the room as he tried to ignore the sharp stinging across his hairline. The benefit of knowing a guy who knows a guy meant that he always had a safe house within a few blocks of anywhere in Vale. The downside was that those safehouses tended to be complete crap.

The apartment Neo had taken them to was one of the nicer ones, though that term was used loosely. It consisted of all three rooms; a bedroom, a bathroom, and a living room with a kitchenette crammed in the corner. The paint of the pale green walls was peeling, and the carpet was a shade of brown that had likely started life grey. What passed for furniture consisted of a rickety coffee table, a busted recliner, and the lumpy couch Roman was currently laid up on, shirtless.

As Neo swapped the cloth for a roll of bandages, Roman glanced at the table. At its center sat a black metal box, covered in scorch marks and frayed wires. A thin cord connected it to his scroll, the device's screen filled with a multitude of data, all scrolling past faster than anyone could read.

 _Least I managed to grab the box,_  Roman thought wryly.  _I'm lucky it didn't get smashed when Sunshine… yeesh…_

Roman moaned, this time due to the bruises covering every inch of his body.

 _All that armor and weaponry, yet none of those Atlas big shots considered_ seatbelts. _Felt like I went through a damn washing machine._

Roman felt a slight tug on his arm. Neo had finished up with his head wound, and moved on to a cut across his bicep.

"Leave it, Neo," Roman grunted. She shot him a scathing glare, which he ignored. "It doesn't hurt and it ain't bleeding anymore. I'm good."

Neo kept glaring, which Roman met by raising an unimpressed eyebrow. After a few seconds, she rolled her eyes again, tossing the roll of bandages back into the basic first-aid kit, then walking over to the kitchenette.

Roman ignored the various clunks and thumps as Neo rummaged through the refrigerator, likely trying to scrounge up whatever food was still edible. The conman instead fell back fully against the couch, staring up at the ceiling.

_Jeez, those kids are something else. There is something really weird about Laser Lass. How the hell did an EMP of all things take her down? Monkey Boy and his friend weren't too bad, either. Didn't get to do much, though. Little Red and her girlfriends really stole the show._

Roman didn't notice the small smile that formed on his face until he felt it fade away.  _Yeah… Little Red… Sunshine, too…_

The moment kept replaying in his head, over and over. Those blazing red eyes, the soft silver, both aimed at him, side-by-side. For that brief moment, time rewound. He felt fifteen years younger, got that feeling of smarmy satisfaction from when he pulled something off, not for any kind of gain, but just for the fun of it.

Roman couldn't help but chuckle, earning an odd look from Neo as she stuck a spoonful of peanut butter into her mouth.

 _Small world, ain't it, Rosebuds?_  He watched the ceiling fan spin lazily for a moment, sighing tiredly. He pinched the bridge of his nose, resisting the urge to groan.  _What the hell do I do now?_

A loud ringing sound startled him from his thoughts. He looked over at the table, seeing his scroll vibrate across the coffee table. He picked it up, grateful he'd changed out his old ringtone, if only to see the disappointed pout on Neo's face. He flicked his thumb across the scroll's surface, mindful not to unplug it from the box. A window popped up, saying:  **Caller Unknown. Audio Only.**

Roman did groan now.  _Great, Cinder's going to rip me a new one over this. Just what I_ don't  _need._  He stared at the scroll, seriously considering just ignoring the call, putting the scroll on silent, and going to bed.

He heaved a defeated sigh.  _If only. I'm starting to wonder if the pay is worth dealing with Matchstick. Before I met her, I didn't have to worry daily about getting set on fire_. With one last groan, he accepted the call, figuring he should just get it over with. Smirking slightly, he put the scroll to his ear. "Before you start, it wasn't my fault."

" _What. Happened?"_

Roman sat up so fast the cut on his arm reopened. That… wasn't Cinder. A new smirk formed on his face, even wider. "You're gonna have to be more specific, Bully Boy. It's been a long night."

From the other end of the line, Adam Taurus snarled.  _"Do you think this is funny?"_

"Normally, yeah, but-  _ugh!_ " Roman winced as his arm throbbed, blood dripping onto the carpet. Neo was by his side in an instant, bandages in hand, spoon still in her mouth, and a heavy glare of 'I-told-you-so!' on her face. Roman ignored her, continuing like nothing happened. "I'm pretty sure if I laugh right now, I'm gonna tear something."

Taurus growled.  _"Thanks to you, the entire rally was a failure. There are police crawling all over the slums. My men are scattered. We didn't get a single recruit. Everyone in the rally ran when you took our newest weapon, and went on a joyride."_

Roman snorted, unimpressed, as Neo started wrapping gauze around his arm. "If they bailed as soon as crazy stuff started happening, I'm surprised you wanted them."

" _What. Happened?"_  Taurus' tone dropped even lower, rage dripping from his every word.  _"My lieutenant told me everything was going well. You had them eating out of your hand. Why? Why did you throw it away?!"_

Roman glanced at Neo, who had finished with his arm and had sat down on the coffee table, listening to the conversation as she ate another glob of peanut butter. Meeting his eye, Neo shrugged, motioning with the spoon in a 'well, go on' type of gesture. Roman rolled his eyes. "That cat brat was at the rally. I saw a chance to take care of her, and I took it."

"... _who?"_  Taurus asked, confusion mixing with his anger.

"Y'know, the same one that caused that little scuffle on the docks last month?"

" _No, I don't know. You said you already had a plan in motion and that 'those Beacon brats' were all yours. You told us it was a problem that would never happen again."_

Roman blinked. "I did?" He looked over at Neo, who stared back with her biggest 'you're an idiot' look. Roman clicked his tongue. "Oh. Guess I did. Well, the plan didn't pan out. I had Kitty Cat cold like I'd hoped, but this time, she brought even more brats to back her up."

" _...Kitty Cat?"_

Roman huffed in annoyance. "Yeah, this cat Faunus that keeps poking her nose in my/our business."

" _Why?"_  Taurus' voice lowered further, getting deeper, rougher.

Roman didn't notice, scoffing at the thought. "I dunno. Something about not liking the White Fang working with humans. I don't really care why she's screwing with us. It's just annoying that she keeps doing it."

" _Describe her."_

Roman blinked, giving his scroll a funny look. 'Uh… why?"

" _ **Because I said so.**_ " Taurus snarled in a low voice that promised murder. Roman flinched a little at Taurus' tone, feeling his usual humor bleed away as he realized that, somehow, he'd crossed some sort of line. Real quick, Roman started flicking through his scroll, looking through the hodgepodge of photos he had, some of them still being downloaded from the Paladin's black box. He tapped on the first one of Kitty Cat that he found, snapped when she and Ice Queen had leapt at it.

"Okay, uh… black hair, yellow eyes… uh…" he squinted at the picture, not really sure how to describe Kitty Cat further. His eyes locked onto a small splash of color on her skin. "She has a tattoo on her neck-"

" _ **WHAT?!"**_

Roman jumped at Taurus' feral roar, nearly dropping his scroll. He glanced at Neo, who tilted her head in confusion. Holding the scroll away from his face, just in case he prompted more screaming, Roman repeated. "...she has a tattoo on her neck? Right under her ear?"

For a few tense seconds, all that came from Roman's scroll was Taurus' deep, rage-filled breathing.

" _That mech had cameras, didn't it?"_

Completely thrown, Roman replied, "Uh… yeah. Why?"

" _Send me a picture of this girl,_ _ **now.**_ _"_

Roman blinked.  _What is his deal? The brat has some ink, so what?_  "Okay… do you know her or some-"

" _Just do it!"_

"Alright, alright! Yeesh! What's got your horns in a twist?" With a few taps of his scroll, Roman sent that same picture of Kitty Can and Ice Queen off to Taurus. "There, happy now?"

" _...is this a joke?"_

Roman actually swallowed. He'd seen the White Fang leader pissed before, but he'd never heard Taurus use  _that_  tone of voice. So cold and detached, yet still sounding enraged. Roman was starting to think he'd just been branded White Fang Chew Toy. "Bully Boy, I'm currently bleeding all over this wonderfully tacky shag carpeting. Despite my charming demeanor, I'm not really in a joking mood right now."

" _..."_

Silence was the only response.

"Uh, Bully Boy? You still there?"

" _...no…"_

Roman raised a brow at the heavy whisper. "Taurus? Buddy, you okay?"

" _...no… no, no, No, NO, NO… RRRAAAAUUGHH!"_

Roman jerked back, nearly dropping his scroll as Taurus unleashed an honest to Dust  _roar_. There was a split-second sound of crunching plastic and shattering glass, then the line went dead.

Roman and Neo stared at the scroll, equally baffled at what had just happened. The only sound was the hum of the ancient refrigerator, and a siren sounding off far in the distance.

"Well," Roman said, mildly perturbed. "That was… a thing. I guess he really doesn't like Kitty Cat."

Neo just nodded slightly, bending down to retrieve the jar of peanut butter she'd dropped.

Roman frowned. He was missing something. He tapped his scroll again, bringing back the photo he'd sent.

 _I don't get it. The cat got a tattoo, so what? It's not even that impressive, just a couple flowers and… wait._  He squinted at the picture.  _A snowflake? Looks just like… ah. Okay, I can see why that would piss off Bully Boy, but… wait, why the heck would a Faunus brand themselves with the Schnee's calling card?_  His eyes drifted to Kitty Cat's own resident Schnee… and felt his eyes widen.

_Oh. Matching tats. That's… different. I wonder if… well, that would certainly explain Bully Boy blowing his top. Guess Kitty Cat and Ice Queen better watch their backs._

Roman chuckled to himself, thinking that Taurus might take out his little cat-eared annoyance for him. But then… he thought of something. All humor drained from his face, a jolt of mild panic shooting down his spine. He quickly pulled up more photos, scrolling through them rapidly. There were hundreds, with more still being downloaded, enough that Roman was vaguely worried his scroll would run out of memory for them all. He zipped down to the most recent ones, looking for…

 _A-ha!_  Roman tapped on what he was looking for: Little Red, curled up on the gravel, clutching at her broken leg, while Kitty Cat knelt in front of her, glaring at the camera with eyes filled with fear and challenge. Roman felt his stomach sink.

_Right. She and Little Red are friends. Whatever Taurus pulls on Kitty Cat, Little Red will involve herself, just like last time. Probably rope in Sunshine to help. Gah, why can't she just… WHAT THE HELL?!_

Roman's mouth fell open as he noticed a familiar shape on Little Red's neck.

 _Why does she have that?! Wait, does the whole team have them?_  He backed up, scrolling through more photos until he found one of Sunshine.  _Dust dammit, they do! Why do they all have matching tattoos?!_

A slight bump on his shoulder startled him from his mini-freakout. Neo poked him again, a questioning look on her face.

Roman groaned. "Nothin', Neo. Just making a bigger mess for myself, like usual."

Neo narrowed her eyes a bit, unbelieving, but eventually just shrugged, walking back to the kitchen as Roman flopped back on the couch. He ran a hand down his face, muttering to himself.

"Freakin' brats… making my life freakin' complicated." He looked out the apartment window, at the shattered moon peeking out from around the surrounding buildings. He let out a deep sigh. On a whim, he lifted his scroll, bringing up his contacts. It was a short list, just Neo's number, a couple of his usual lackeys, the pizza joint on 4th street, and…

Roman frowned. The last number was one he always programmed in his scroll out of habit, despite the fact that he hadn't called it in years.

**Brainy Bird.**

Roman felt a familiar annoyance flare up inside him.  _Why do I even bother? After all these years, she'd have ditched that number long ago. Not like I'll ever use it, either._

With a quick tap, he selected the number, bringing up a menu of options, chief among them being  **Call**  and  **Delete**.

He stared at the two options, his thumb hovering over the screen. Then he let out an annoyed huff, tossing the scroll back on the coffee table. He looked back out the window, watching the moonlight gleam against Vale's skyscrapers.

 _Well, there's no denying it now,_  he thought.  _They're definitely your kids._  He groaned in frustration.  _And I think I just sicced Adam Taurus on them._

_Where do I go from here, Sis?_


	13. Papa Panther

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betaed by Ril_Locke [(Covert Weapon)](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/926755/Covert-Weapon)
> 
> [LiLaL'S TV Tropes Page](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/LinkedInLifeAndLove)
> 
> [Cross-posted on FF.net](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11689623/36/Linked-in-Life-and-Love)

 

**Menagerie**

The day had just begun in the oceanside village of Kuo Kuana, the morning sunlight glistening against the ocean waves. Faunus of all ages were already outside their homes, working to clean and repair their town, now that the storms had finally passed. Some were clearing fallen trees, while others set out with hammer and nails, repairing walls, roofs, windows; anything the wind and rain had seen fit to destroy. Even the younger Faunus did their small part, cleaning windows and sweeping floors. At the rate things were going, their town would be returned to its regular normalcy by evening.

Ghira Belladonna took it all in with a smile, his chest swelling with pride as he made his way through the center of town. He had just left a similar scene mere miles behind him, and seeing that same sense of unity and community in his own hometown gave him a warm feeling.

People waved as he walked passed, which he returned with a nod and a smile. He'd be out to assist in the cleanup himself shortly, but first, he wanted to see his wife.

His smile slipped a bit as the feelings once again washed over him.

_Sadness, Anger. Happiness, Pride. Regret, Frustration._

Since he had woken up hours earlier, he could feel his wife's emotions through their Link, cycling constantly through a myriad of conflicting feelings. Years of experience told him that Kali was trying to rein her feelings in, but the closer he got to home, the stronger they became. When his house came into sight, he quickened his pace.

As he crossed the bridge to his home, a large manor that dwarfed most of the houses in town, he took a good look at how it had fared against Mother Nature. He sighed in resignation. A tree had fallen just short of the house, having taken out a large section of the fence. A few windows were cracked, none broken, though they'd need to be replaced before the next storm hit. It was an annoyance, but nothing to be truly bothered by. Past storms had proved to be much worse.

When he pushed open the front door, he was surprised to find the sitting room empty.  _Strange,_ he thought, looking over the bare table.  _Kali is usually having her morning coffee right about now._

"Kali?" he called out. "I'm home!"

After a few moments, Kali's voice drifted from the kitchen.

" _...I'll be there in a moment, Ghira."_

Ghira's eyes snapped towards the kitchen door. The instant he heard his wife's voice, his good mood vanished, replaced with worry. Kali sounded exhausted, drained.

Ghira was at the kitchen door in seconds. He threw it open, finding Kali sitting at the kitchen table, staring down into the full cup of coffee in her hands. Her short hair was sticking up slightly, like she hadn't bothered to brush it. Her cat ears were drooped as low as they could go, her golden studs nowhere to be found.

"Kali?" Ghira was at his wife's side in an instant, kneeling down to her level. He tried to meet her eyes, but they were hidden by bangs. He gently put his large hand over her arm. "Dear, what's wrong?"

Kali was silent, motionless. Then, slowly, she turned to meet her husband's eyes.

Cold dread filled Ghira's veins as he met Kali's red-rimmed eyes, glistening with unshed tears.

"What?" Ghira asked, wrapping his other arm around her shoulders. "What is it?"

* * *

**Thirty Minutes Later…**

"I'M GONNA KILL HIM!"

_CRASH!_

From where she stood beside the kitchen counter, Kali glanced at the splintered wood embedded in the wall.  _I liked that table,_  she thought idly. She turned to watch Ghira as he started pacing around the room, gesturing wildly as he raged.

"How could he do this? We took him in, treated him like family! I don't even…"

Ghira let out a frustrated growl, kicking the refrigerator hard enough to leave a sizable dent.

Kali said nothing, folding her hands in front of her as she took in her husband's  _Anger, Betrayal, Disbelief, Hurt_. It was rare to see Ghira in such a rage. He was usually very even-tempered, only raising his voice or showing anger when he witnessed something truly abhorrent. Even then, Kali was quick to soothe him, lest he work himself into a true frenzy. She had the brief thought that she should be doing exactly that right now, but shoved it away. As it stood, it took all she had to just stand and watch him vent, rather than join him in his outburst.

"How could he just…  _use_  her like that?"

Kali's ears perked up a bit when she heard a noticeable shift in his tone. When Ghira next turned around, she saw the look of broken disbelief on his face, echoing his feelings of  _Regret, Fear, Anger._

Kali took a step forward, stopping Ghira's pacing by putting a hand on his shoulder. Ghira turned to her, startled.

Pushing out feelings of  _Calm, Reassurance,_  Kali spoke softly. "She's okay. Right now she's safe and happy."

Kali could feel Ghira relax slightly, though his shoulders stayed tense. "She shouldn't have felt unsafe in the first place," he growled, mostly at himself. "She shouldn't have been forced to become a… a criminal!"

Kali sighed, rubbing his arm gently. "Blake did as she was told. She thought she and Adam were doing the right thing."

Ghira growled at Adam's name. "Only because she trusted him… because we told her to trust him!" He snarled, tensing like he was about to begin raging again.

Before he could begin, Kali reached up, cupping his cheek. Surprised, he looked down at her, his face falling when he met her eyes.

Kali's golden orbs glistened, her calm facade cracking.  _Agreement. Self-loathing. Failure._

Ghira flinched a little, then closed his eyes, breathing deeply. He opened them, cupping Kali's face in the same manner.  _Agreement. Sympathy. Self-loathing. Failure._

Kali closed her eyes, a few tears slipping through.  _Frustration. Helplessness._

Within the same moment he'd felt her emotions, Ghira pulled Kali close to himself. Resting his hand on the back of her head, he pressed his forehead to hers.  _Calm. Sympathy. Reassurance._  Kali pulled back slightly, opening her eyes in question. Ghira smiled, rubbing away her stray tears with his thumb.  _Hope. Resolution. Confidence._

Kali smiled weakly. "Always the optimist."

Ghira's grin widened. "Can't see the stars with your head down."

Kali giggled slightly, giving his arm a forceless tap. "But you  _can_  see where you're going."

His grin shifted to a smirk. "That's what I have you for."

They shared a brief laugh at the old joke, holding each other. When they calmed down, Kali smiled at her husband, though it still wasn't as wide as he'd hoped. "We  _will_  fix this, right?"

Ghira gave her a determined nod. "Whether we will or not isn't even a question. How, though. That's… more complicated."

Kali nodded back slowly, a spark of fire in her eyes. "Right… well, we won't figure it out on empty stomachs." Pulling away from her husband, Kali moved to the stove.

Ghira watched his wife work for a moment, before turning towards the rest of the room. He held back a groan when he saw the kindling that used to be their kitchen table. Then he frowned slightly, noticing the small shards of porcelain among the wood, dripping with brown liquid.

As Kali dug through the refrigerator, she heard the clinking of glassware behind her. She turned around, only to find Ghira smiling down at her, holding out a new cup of steaming coffee.

Kali blinked in surprise. She let out a small breath, taking the cup with a thankful smile.

Ghira just nodded, then made his way to his study.

Once out of his wife's sight, Ghira's face crumpled. He fell back into his desk chair, burying his face in his hands. Without Kali's calming presence, he could feel the anger rushing back. He was tempted to just walk out the back door and just roar at the sky until it was drained out of him, but he didn't want the townsfolk to think there was another Grimm attack.

Letting out a loud groan, he let his hands fall to the table. His eyes followed their path, until he noticed a set of deep gouges in the aged wood. Curious, he traced the lines with his fingers, quickly noticing the distinct pattern they made. He glanced up at his computer monitor, his own haunted look reflected back at him. He marveled at his wife's restraint. Had it been him listening to Blake's tale, there'd likely be a large hole through the center of his desk, roughly the same size as his fist.

Frustrated, he pushed away from his desk, getting up to pace the room. After a couple laps back and forth, his eyes eventually landed on the large world map hanging behind his desk. As he trailed his gaze across the shape of Vale, he lingered on the dot marking the city by the same name. He felt his chest tighten. Somewhere in that city, his daughter, his pride and joy, had suffered for three long years at the hands of a man he'd always viewed as a son.

His only comfort was that Blake was now in the hands of people who truly cared for her. He smiled slightly at the thought. Bless his Mate, she'd tried to ease into all this horridness with word of who his daughter had brought into their family. From what Kali had said, Blake had found a trio of loyal, kind girls that would go to the ends of the earth to keep her safe.

Even the fact that one of them was Weiss Schnee didn't bother him as much as Kali thought it would. True, Jacques Schnee was one of the lowest, vilest  _bastards_  he had ever met, but that didn't mean the entire family was rotten. He was reminded of a chance encounter a few years back during a solo trip to the White Fang of Mistral, where he met the famed General Ironwood, and his new second-in-command, a freshly promoted Winter Schnee. The young woman had been a bit prim and proper for his tastes, but she was respectful and even curious about his position, asking about what life on Menagerie was like. Despite her frosty demeanor, there was a glimmer in her eyes that her father lacked. If one of the Schnee daughters had managed to survive Jacques' poisonous upbringing, perhaps the other had as well.

As Ghira lost himself to his memories, his eyes lingered over Mistral. Then, with a blink, he looked back at Vale. His eyes darted back and forth between them, a grin forming slowly on his face, growing larger by the second.

"Kali?" he called out, quickly making his way back to the kitchen.

Kali looked up from the stove, halfway through flipping a stack of pancakes. "What is it, Ghira?"

Smile locked in place, Ghira asked her, "When was the last time we traveled to Mistral?"

Kali cocked her head, completely confused. "Um… you went a few years ago. I haven't been since Blake was a child. Why?"

Ghira started slowly pacing around the kitchen, collecting a coffee mug. "Well, I just kind of realized how long we've stayed in Menagerie. I thought maybe we could take a tour of Mistral, check in with the White Fang's efforts there. I've heard it's lovely this time of year."

Kali set the skillet aside, turning to face her husband fully. She knew that tone of voice. Ghira thought he was being clever. Confused as to where he was going with this, she played along. "Oh?"

Stirring a heavy helping of cream into his coffee, Ghira nodded. "Sure. Of course," he added, giving an exaggerated shrug. "The seas between here and Mistral are rather dangerous. Between the possible storms and the Grimm, you never know what could happen. Our ship may get turned around, need to stop from time to time for repairs. Never know exactly where. Could be the southern Mistralian Isles, or somewhere in Vert…"

Kali's eyes widened, catching on. "Vale?"

Ghira hid his grin behind his mug. "Possibly. And, if that were to happen… maybe we decide to tour the Vale countryside instead. Maybe even pay a surprise visit to our brothers and sisters in the capital."

Kali nodded sagely, then grew a smile that matched Ghira's. "We'll have to inform the local chapter here about our travel to Mistral."

"Yes…" Ghira agreed. "To Mistral."

Her husband's plan firmly taking root, Kali's smile tightened, both with worry and anticipation. "When will we take this trip?"

Ghira's eyes hardened, making his large grin turn predatory. "As soon as we can."

**End of Act II**


End file.
